Schiphol | The Summer Internship at Schiphol: Exploring GenAI

This summer, Schiphol’s Innovation Hub, in partnership with the Data and Analytics department, had the pleasure of hosting a diverse and talented group of interns. These bright minds brought fresh perspectives and made substantial contributions to our GenAI projects, significantly advancing our technological capabilities.

A Summer of Learning and Innovation

Over the course of their six-week internship, our interns delved deep into the real-world applications of Generative AI (GenAI). They had the opportunity to work with Azure AI Studio, exploring various models and applications. This hands-on experience was not just about refining their technical skills but also about gaining confidence in presenting innovative ideas. The internship offered a unique platform for the interns to connect with professionals across different departments, broadening their understanding of Schiphol’s operations and enhancing their overall experience.

Project Highlights

The interns chose between two exciting projects, with Sara, Zihan, and Huien focusing on the Passenger Experience Platform (PXP), while Adam, Nikolaos, and Marc worked on the conversational AI system.

Conversational AI System: This team developed an advanced conversational AI system capable of generating and executing queries on airport databases. The technology enables natural language communication with databases, enhancing the efficiency of data access and interaction.
Passenger Experience Platform (PXP): Significant strides were made in integrating AI into the PXP. The interns developed a dynamic AI voice agent for guest interactions, broke down language barriers, and upgraded the ecosystem with smarter error feedback, faster FAQ updates, and automated reporting.

Meet Our Interns

Our GenAI interns represented a global array of talent, each bringing unique expertise to the team:

Huien Tan: Pursuing a master’s in media technology at Leiden University, Huien worked on the Passenger Experience Platform (PXP) alongside Sara and Zihan. Her innovative ideas and technical skills significantly enriched the project.
Marc Hooftman: A computer science student from Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, Marc focused on enhancing conversational AI capabilities. His passion for technology and data access was crucial in advancing our conversational AI initiatives.
Zihan Zou: Studying artificial intelligence at Utrecht University, Zihan contributed to the PXP project. Her academic knowledge was effectively applied to tackle real-world challenges, making a notable impact on the project’s progress.
Nikolaos Boutsioukis: From Greece and studying computer science and engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology, Nikolaos worked on making data insights more accessible, which was essential for the effectiveness of our conversational AI system.
Sara Abesová: Originally from Prague and studying AI in Amsterdam, Sara played a key role in integrating generative AI into the PXP platform. Her creativity and strong technical background greatly benefited the project.
Adam Bayle: Expanding his studies from computer science in Delft to a master’s program in Stockholm, Adam focused on enabling Schiphol employees to interact with data using natural language in the conversational AI project.

Conclusion

The summer GenAI internship at Schiphol was a rewarding experience for both the interns and the company. Their contributions not only advanced our projects but also showcased the impact of fresh perspectives and innovative thinking. We are proud of the progress they made and look forward to seeing how their experiences will shape their future endeavors.