3 days ago
21-year-old St Andrews Uni student charging firms thousands for her AI skills
A St Andrews University undergraduate has set up a successful AI consultancy business in her spare time.
Ideja Bajra is currently studying for a degree in cell biology at the prestigious Fife university.
However, fascinated by the world of artificial intelligence, she decided to teach herself the basics.
Fast forward a few months and the 21-year-old is now an AI expert working with top firms including the Royal Bank of Scotland.
London-born Ideja, who is due to graduate later this month, officially launched Edvance AI in April last year.
In her first year of business, the undergraduate student worked with 10 different clients, providing one-off workshops and consulting retainers.
She said: 'When I was introduced to AI, I became absolutely fixated on it. I took to YouTube to upskill myself.
'It took at least nine months of intensive scavenging the internet for everything I could find.
'I came from a non-technical background and didn't attend any courses. I just watched videos and read as much as I could.
'Then I decided to start a consulting firm that focuses on the application of AI in the workplace.
'I have worked with the Royal Bank of Scotland, PGIM Asset Management, and Alpha Real Capital. Some others I can't mention because they are under NDAs.'
Now that Ideja's university exams are coming to an end, she plans to continue growing her business. She is currently finalising deals with five more companies.
Ideja offers differing price models depending on the size and literacy level of the company.
This includes assessments of AI literacy and implementation strategies to help organisations use the technology effectively.
She continued: 'The workshops are tailored to the client's level of AI literacy. We upskill the team and help them understand the fundamentals.
'We also offer consulting, where we audit an entire company or a specific division and implement AI solutions, over a few months.
'Everything is tailored to the client, but our base price for consulting starts at £25,000 for a multi-month retainer and one-off workshops are £2,500.'
When it comes to the future of AI, Ideja prefers to focus on the positive potential the controversial technology holds.
She added: 'I like to see AI as a tool to automate day-to-day tasks that are mundane and boring.
'This way, it frees up time for us to be more creative and pursue what we're truly passionate about.
'At the moment, it's just me and seven freelancers who help on projects and get paid a percentage of the profit.
'In the future, I want Edvance AI to have a full-time team and support as many people as possible.'
