UAE - Standout graduates from the 2024 Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) are already applying their AI skills in meaningful, future-focused ways, showing how education powered by purpose can unlock real-world opportunities.

Hasith Kakarla: From SIC to Cybersecurity and Creative AI

Hasith Kakarla spent his summer immersed in cybersecurity at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), drawing directly on skills he had developed during his Samsung Innovation Campus capstone project. “The project gave me hands-on experience with machine learning libraries in applied contexts,” he said. “That exposure made a huge difference as I stepped into the real world.”

In addition to his internship, Hasith pursued a personal AI project focused on audio style transfer, a field of artificial intelligence that uses deep learning to transform and manipulate sound design. He shared that the Samsung Innovation Campus experience helped him move beyond theory, giving him the confidence and technical skills to explore advanced technologies independently. “SIC helped me go beyond textbook theory—it gave me the confidence to explore cutting-edge tech on my own terms.”

Abhinav Kottayil: Building AI Tools for Enterprise Innovation

Abhinav Kottayil wrapped up an internship with Emirates Group’s IT Department earlier this year, where he developed an AI-powered offline chatbot to help teams query architecture documentation. The idea was born from skills picked up at SIC, and the execution showed just how quickly graduates can deliver value. “Having the practical knowledge from SIC helped me hit the ground running,” he said.

He has since earned his AWS AI Practitioner Certification, using SIC as a springboard into more advanced training. Now, Abhinav is actively exploring full-time tech roles and recently applied to the Samsung Graduate Program, driven by a desire to build solutions that matter.

Akhil Anil Kumar: Driving AI research and product innovation

Since graduating from Samsung Innovation Campus, Akhil has taken on two dynamic roles that highlight how SIC prepares students for real-world success. He is currently a Product Innovation Intern at one.com, where he works closely with teams to develop AI-powered features that enhance the user experience. At the same time, he is a Research Assistant at the University of Wollongong in Dubai, helping to improve how large language models reason and perform in practical applications.

“SIC gave me the kind of hands-on experience that really made a difference,’ said Akhil. “It helped me stand out and opened the doors to top tech companies,” he added.

In addition to his professional roles, Akhil is independently building an AI-powered student platform for the student community at the University of Wollongong in Dubai. While not affiliated with the university, his open-source initiative is designed to benefit students directly, offering them a chance to contribute, collaborate, and upskill through a community-driven project. The idea was directly inspired by what he learned during the program, and it is drawing attention from peers and faculty for its innovative approach. "I am proud to be part of the SIC alumni community," said Akhil. "It is exciting to be part of a new generation of change."

Building Tomorrow’s AI Workforce Today

Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) is becoming the global education program empowering youth with job-ready skills. It is fast becoming a vital accelerator for AI talent across the UAE. The journeys of graduates like Hasith Kakarla, Abhinav Kottayil, and Akhil Anil Kumar offer a clear lens into that transformation. Whether contributing to cybersecurity at DIFC, developing enterprise AI tools for Emirates, or building a student platform, their stories are not isolated successes; they signal a broader trend: SIC graduates are stepping confidently into the workforce, equipped with the expertise and drive to shape the region’s digital economy.

Each SIC graduate completes a rigorous, three-month curriculum rooted in artificial intelligence, machine learning, Python programming, statistics, and real-world algorithm development. Delivered in partnership with the UAE’s AI Office, the program emphasizes not just theoretical understanding, but hands-on experience with the very tools shaping today's most in-demand technology sectors.

The results are already tangible. Over 80% of surveyed students report feeling more confident applying for jobs and internships, and many are translating that confidence into real-world success, from internships in critical industries to advanced certifications. SIC alumni are contributing across high-growth domains including cybersecurity, enterprise IT, and AI product development, all of which are strategic pillars of the UAE’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031.

In a country ambitiously positioning itself as a global leader in AI and emerging technologies, SIC is helping build the talent engine required to power that vision. With students from 26 nationalities and the support of a global innovation leader like Samsung, the program is doing more than closing the skills gap. It is turning ambition into action, and potential into progress.