Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Just What You're Looking For: Recommender Team Suggests Winning Strategies

20/07/2021

The final push for the hat trick came down to the wire.

Five minutes before the deadline, the team submitted work in its third and hardest data science competition of the year in recommendation systems. Called RecSys, it's a relatively new branch of computer science that's spawned one of the most widely used applications in machine learning, one that helps millions find what they want to watch, buy and play.

The team's combination of six AI models packed into the contest's limit of 20 gigabytes all of the smarts it culled from studying 750 million data points. An unusual rule in the competition said the models had to run in less than 24 hours on a single core in a cloud CPU.

They hit the submission button and waited.

Twenty-three hours and 40 minutes later an email arrived: They hit No. 1 on the leaderboard.

Right Under the Buzzer On June 28 it was official, a seven-member NVIDIA team won for the second time the ACM RecSys Challenge.

The email came in right under the buzzer - 20 minutes later and we would have timed out, said Chris Deotte, one of several team members who's also a grandmaster in Kaggle competitions, the online Olympics of data science.

We were really on the edge, said Benedikt Schifferer, a teammate who helps design NVIDIA Merlin, a framework to help users quickly build their own recommendation systems.

GPUs could have busted through the inference job in a fraction of the time. Adapting the work to one CPU core was like going back to the distant past, said Gilberto Giba Titericz, a Brazil-based Kaggle grandmaster on the team.

In fact, once the competition was over, the team demonstrated the inference job that took nearly 24 hours on a CPU core could run on a single NVIDIA A100 Tensor Core GPU in just five and a half minutes.

Sorting 40M Items a Day For that competition, Twitter gave participants millions of data points a day for 28 days and asked them to predict which tweets users would like or retweet. It was an industrial-strength challenge from the leading technical conference on RecSys, an event that draws a who's who of top engineers from Facebook, Google, Spotify and other players.

Part of the RecSys Challenge team (clockwise from upper left): Bo Liu, Benedikt Schifferer, Gilberto Titericz and Chris Deotte. The discipline is as hard as it is helpful. Recommendation systems fuel our digital economy, serving up suggestions faster and smarter than a traditional search.

Industry challenges help advance the field for everyone, whether they're seeking the perfect gift for a spouse or trying to find an old friend online.

Three Wins in Five Months Earlier this year, the full NVIDIA team led a field of 40 in the Booking.com Challenge. They used millions of anonymized data points to correctly predict the final city a vacationer in Europe would choose to visit.

In June, another top recsys contest, the SIGIR eCommerce Data Challenge, set an even higher hurdle.

SIGIR challenge winners include (clockwise from upper left) Ronay Ak, Sara Rabhi, Md Yasin Kabir and team leader Gabriel Moreira. The annual meeting of the Special Interest Group on Information Retrieval, SIGIR, draws experts from companies that span Alibaba to Walmart Labs. Its 2021 challenge provided 37 million data points from online shopping sessions and asked participants to predict which products users would buy.

Overlap with the ACM contest forced the NVIDIA team to split into two groups that coordinated their efforts between the contests. Ratcheting up the pressure, some team members were heads down writing a paper for the ACM RecSys conference.

The Art of the Fast Break Two factors propelled a five-person NVIDIA team with members spread across Brazil, Canada, France and the U.S. to the best overall performance, taking first or second place in every leaderboard. They made a big bet on Transformer models developed for natural-language processing and increasingly adopted for recsys, and they understood the art of the handoff.

As one member is going to bed another picks up the work in a different time zone, said Even Oldridge, who leads the Merlin group.

When it all clicks, it's very effective, and I'm amazed at what we've accomplished in the last year building our internal knowledge and our standing in the recsys community to the point where we could win three major competitions in five months, he said.

Respecting User Privacy The contest required models to make predictions with no background on users beyond their current browsing session.

That's an important task because sometimes users want to browse anonymously, and some privacy laws limit access to historical information, said Gabriel Moreira, a senior Merlin researcher in S o Paulo who led NVIDIA's SIGIR team.

The competition marked the first time the team used only Transformer models in their solution to a challenge. Moreira's team aims to make the massive neural networks more easily available to every Merlin customer.

From a Hat Trick to a Haul On June 30, we notched a fourth consecutive win in RecSys, what hockey players call a haul. MLPerf, an industry benchmarking group, announced that NVIDIA and its partners set records in all its latest training benchmarks, including one in recommendation systems.

The team behind that effort described its work training a recommendation system in less than a minute on 14 NVIDIA DGX systems, a 3.3x speedup compared to their submission a year ago.

Sharing Lessons Learned The competitions fuel ideas for new techniques that find their way into recsys frameworks like Merlin and related tools, papers and online classes held by the NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute. The ultimate goal: Help everyone succeed.

In interviews NVIDIA's recsys experts freely shared their know-how - part art, part science.

A Pro Tip on RecSys One best practice is
LINK: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2021/07/20/recommendation-systems-winner...
See more stories from nvidia

Most recent headlines

10/12/2025

L3Harris to Produce Additional Solid Rocket Motors for Precision-Guided Artillery System

L3Harris' new contract for Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System Insensitive ...

10/12/2025

US Space Force Expands Offensive Space Programs Through L3Harris Foreign Sales

L3Harris Meadowlands system has been designed with an open architecture software system that allows for more flexible and efficient software updates. This capab...

10/12/2025

Football Shifts TV Viewing Towards Ad Supported, Nielsen's Q3 2025 Ad Supported Gauge Finds

During this interval, streaming comprised the majority of ad supported TV (46.4%...

10/12/2025

Bitcentral Names Venture Capital Exec Rick Arnold to Board

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. Bitcentral, a provider of production, asset management, playout and streaming workflow solutions, has named technology veteran Rick Arnold...

10/12/2025

TV Tech Announces Winners of 2025 Best in Market Awards for M&E Tech

TV Tech is delighted to reveal the winners of the 2025 Media & Entertainment: Best in Market Awards....

10/12/2025

AIMS, VSF, AMWA, EBU To Hold Inaugural IPMX Testing, Certification Event

BOTHELL, Wash. The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), the Video Services Forum (VSF), the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) and the European Broad...

10/12/2025

DirecTV Launches Peacock Games

In a notable example of how pay TV operators are integrating streaming services into their lineup and using those services to retain or attract subscribers, Dir...

10/12/2025

Chaos Brings Real-Time Rendering to Maya and Houdini

Today, Chaos builds instant feedback into the viewport, connecting Maya and Houdini to Chaos Vantage's real-time path tracer. Artists can now assess 3D asse...

10/12/2025

Smeup doubles capacity with Cubbit under a new agreement...

Smeup, a key partner for companies engaged in digital transformation, today announced the expansion of its adoption of Cubbit, the first geo-distributed cloud s...

10/12/2025

Mediagenix Strengthens Its Security Posture with ISO 2700...

Mediagenix, a global leader in smart content solutions to profitably connect the right content to the right audience, today announced two significant milestones...

10/12/2025

HDR10+ Technologies Unveils HDR10+ ADVANCED Dynamic Metadata Technology

BEAVERTON, Ore. HDR10+ Technologies, LLC has announced that they will soon begin the licensing and certification of devices, content, and services that support ...

10/12/2025

SMPTE, EBU, ETC Publish Report on AI's Impact on the Media

SMPTE has joined forces with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) to publish an updated report on AI and its impact o...

10/12/2025

Clear-Com Appoints Kris Koch as New Director of Sales - N...

Clear-Com is pleased to announce the appointment of Kris Koch as Director of Sales - North & South America. In this expanded leadership role, Kris will oversee...

10/12/2025

Mavis Camera Launches Film Kit Unlocking LUT Workflows an...

Mavis today announced the latest version of Mavis Camera (v7.4), a major update to its professional iOS camera app, headlined by the launch of Film Kit - an opt...

10/12/2025

Creamsource Taps Industry Heavyweight Markus Zeiler as Gr...

Creamsource, renowned for its Vortex series of cinematic lighting, is laying the groundwork for its next phase of growth with the addition of Markus Zeiler as G...

10/12/2025

Digital Alert Systems Introduces DAS3-DC-PS DASDEC-III DC...

Digital Alert Systems, a global leader in emergency communications solutions for media providers, today announced that the DAS3-DC-PS, a new DC power supply opt...

10/12/2025

Riedel and Racing Electronics Announce Strategic Partners...

Riedel Communications today announced it has formed a strategic partnership with Racing Electronics, a premier provider of motorsport communication equipment in...

10/12/2025

GALSNGEAR Announces 2026 Leadership Retreats on East and...

#GALSNGEAR is launching two signature leadership retreats in early 2026, designed to equip women in media, entertainment, and technology with the tools to lead...

10/12/2025

CVP Launches Global Price Guarantee for Seamless Internat...

Providing worldwide customers with total confidence through transparent, all-inclusive pricing CVP, one of Europe's leading suppliers of professional video...

10/12/2025

Securing the Future of Broadcast TV in the U.S.

With the Federal Communications Commission working on new rules for the deployment of NextGen TV, next year promises to be an important one for both the future ...

10/12/2025

Former Charter CEO Tom Rutledge to Receive Cable Centers Bresnan Award

DENVER Tom Rutledge, director emeritus and former president and CEO of Charter Communications, will be honored with the 2026 Bresnan Ethics in Business Award by...

10/12/2025

Cadent Acquires YouTube Measurement Firm VuePlanner

NEW YORK Novocap's Cadent has acquired VuePlanner, a YouTube video ad planning, optimization, and measurement company in a deal that will help Cadent expand...

10/12/2025

Rohde & Schwarz presents world's first RF power sensor with 0.80 mm RF connector for gapless DC to 150 GHz coverage

Rohde & Schwarz presents world's first RF power sensor with 0.80 mm RF conne...

10/12/2025

2026 Starts With a Swoon: Kim Seon-ho and Go Youn-jung Lead Can This Love Be Translated?', Premiering January 16

Back to All News 2026 Starts With a Swoon: Kim Seon-ho and Go Youn-jung Lead C...

10/12/2025

'Berlin and the Lady with an Ermine' Arrives to Netflix on May 15

Back to All News Berlin and the Lady with an Ermine Arrives to Netflix on May 15 Entertainment 10 December 2025 GlobalSpain Link copied to clipboard THE N...

10/12/2025

From stand-up to Foxtrot: Comedian Michael Fry revealed as fourth contestant for Dancing with the Stars 2026

It's out of the frying pan and into the sequins for comedian and actor Micha...

10/12/2025

Documentary film on the extraordinary life of Patrick Lydon, pioneer of social inclusion and disability, to premiere on RT

Born That Way airs Thursday 18 December on RT One and RT Player Born That ...

09/12/2025

2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: Pam Oliver, Sideline Icon Who Redefined the Role

2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: Pam Oliver, Sideline Icon Who Redefined t...

09/12/2025

SVG Summit 2025 Technology Exhibits Preview, Part 2

SVG Summit 2025 Technology Exhibits Preview, Part 2By Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S. Tuesday, December 9, 2025 - 7:17 am Print This Story | Subscr...

09/12/2025

SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Cloud Production Workshop Spotlights Live and Non-Live Workflows in the Cloud

SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Cloud Production Workshop Spotlights Live and Non-Live ...

09/12/2025

Next-Generation Content Protection: Multi-Technology Security is Integral to Combating New Threats

Next-generation content protection: Multi-technology security is integral to com...

09/12/2025

CBS Sports Provides One-of-a-Kind Production' for UEFA Champions League Crossover Event

CBS Sports Provides One-of-a-Kind Production' for UEFA Champions League Cro...

09/12/2025

Spanish Professional Basketball League Relies on NETGEAR AV, MAM Tech for Seamless Production

Spanish Professional Basketball League Relies on NETGEAR AV, MAM Tech for Seamle...

09/12/2025

SVG Sit-Down: St. Thomas's Mike Gallagher and Casey Eakins on the Tommies' Bold Leap to Division I and How Video Plays a Key Role

SVG Sit-Down: St. Thomas's Mike Gallagher and Casey Eakins on the Tommies...

09/12/2025

Free Registration for the 2025 SVG Summit Closes Today at 5 p.m. ET!

Free Registration for the 2025 SVG Summit Closes Today at 5 p.m. ET!After the deadline, tickets will cost $150 to attend the eventBy SVG Staff Tuesday, Decemb...

09/12/2025

University of St. Thomas Ushers in Division I Era With New Arena and a Broadcast Operation Built for the Big Time

University of St. Thomas Ushers in Division I Era With New Arena and a Broadcast...

09/12/2025

Spotify Expands Music Videos in Beta to Premium Users in the US and Canada

For decades, music videos have done more than just accompany a song; they've shaped style, started conversations, and helped us fall in love with our favori...

09/12/2025

Leading the Charge: L3Harris' Advanced EW Technologies for Superior Battlefield Advantage

For decades, customers have turned to L3Harris capabilities in electronic warfar...

09/12/2025

L3Harris Propulsion Solutions: Securing the High Ground in Space

L3Harris propulsion systems enable agile maneuvering and resilience for U.S. spacecraft, supporting national security and mission success in the evolving space ...

09/12/2025

L3Harris Successfully Completes Critical Design Review of Key Components for Japan's New Geostationary Meteorological Satellite

L3Harris Technologies' imaging and sounding instruments will play a critical...

09/12/2025

James Shears Joins ThinkAnalytics as Senior VP, Advertising

LOS ANGELES James Shears has joined ThinkAnalytics as senior vice president, advertising, tasked with leading global strategy and commercial expansion of the co...

09/12/2025

Kathleen Kirby, Heidi Raphael Join Media Institute Board

VIENNA, Va. The Media Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization specializing in communications policy and the First Amendment, has named Kathleen Kirby o...

09/12/2025

Hollywood's Ecosystem for Combating Piracy

Throughout its century-plus existence, the motion picture industry has had to fight battles on multiple fronts to protect its content from piracy. From protecti...

09/12/2025

Football Shifts TV Viewing Towards Ad Supported Services

NEW YORK Fueled by football season, ad supported TV viewing in Q3 peaked in September, representing 74.7% of overall TV viewership in that month, per Nielsen...

09/12/2025

Digital Alert Systems Now Offers DC Power Option for DASDEC-III

LYNDONVILLE, N.Y. Digital Alert Systems has introduced the DAS3-DC-PS, a new DC power supply option for its DASDEC-III emergency alert system. Designed to meet ...

09/12/2025

Macky Beheshti Joins Advanced Systems Group as Director o...

Advanced Systems Group, LLC (ASG), a technology and services provider for media creatives and content owners, announced the appointment of Macky Beheshti as Dir...

09/12/2025

Device Solutions Inc and Triveni Digital Secure Patent fo...

Triveni Digital and Device Solutions Inc today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office granted them a new patent for their novel ATSC 3.0 r...

09/12/2025

ThinkAnalytics appoints James Shears as SVP of Advertisin...

ThinkAnalytics, the global leader in AI-powered data analytics for TV and streaming, today announced the appointment of James Shears as Senior Vice President of...

09/12/2025

Dot Group Partners with SingleStore to Deliver Real-Time...

European data management specialists appointed as SingleStore champion partner, bringing unified real-time transaction, vector and analytics capabilities to org...