A team of students from Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), along with their mentor, has achieved 4th place at the 2024 TikTok TechJam, a prestigious Asia Pacific coding competition, earning USD 1,500 in prize money. Their project, EZSeek, impressed the judges with its innovative integration of Generative AI and sustainability-focused initiatives, aimed at enhancing user engagement and productivity.

The EZSeek team comprised Ng Joo Kiat, a Bachelor of Computer Engineering student; Lau Yi Jing, a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Electronic Engineering student from the School of Engineering (SoE); and Teh Chen Ming, who is pursuing a BSc (Hons) in Computer Science with a specialism in Data Analytics at the School of Computing (SoC). Under the mentorship of Dr Lau Chee Yong, Assistant Professor at SoE, the team developed an innovative solution to tackle the challenges faced by users and content creators on social media platforms.

Dr Lau played a pivotal role in guiding the team, offering technical expertise and encouraging independent thinking. His mentorship not only helped refine the team’s ideas but also instilled a sense of ownership and confidence, proving the importance of guidance in nurturing the next generation of tech innovators. This experience highlighted the critical role of mentorship in fostering creativity, problem-solving skills, and the ability to tackle complex, real-world challenges on an international platform.

2024 TikTok TechJam is a global competition that draws over 4,000 participants from around the world. In the Asia Pacific region alone, 20 teams from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam qualified for the finals. This competition provided young minds with a platform to showcase their coding skills, learn from industry experts, and connect with other talented individuals.

EZSeek stands out for its use of stable diffusion and multimodal Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) with FAISS, which enables powerful search capabilities, virtual try-on features, and ESG-focused GreenTokens. The app also incorporates advanced AI editing tools, including text-to-image, image-to-video generation, and speech synthesis, making it a comprehensive solution for content creation.

"EZSeek’s innovation lies in its ability to combine multimodal RAG with FAISS, offering powerful search features, virtual try-ons, and GreenTokens—all powered by stable diffusion," said Ng Joo Kiat. "Our AI editing tools further enhance content creation, making the app a complete solution for both users and creators."

The team’s approach aims to revolutionise how users search for and interact with products, promoting informed purchasing decisions and sustainability. By providing advanced tools for content creators, EZSeek seeks to foster creativity and innovation within the community.

"We hope EZSeek will transform how users search for and engage with products, leading to more informed, sustainable purchasing decisions," said Teh Chen Ming. "By offering advanced tools for content creators, we aim to inspire creativity and innovation within the community."

Lau Yi Jing added, "The highlight of our experience was bringing our solution to life and receiving positive feedback from judges and peers. Networking with like-minded individuals and learning from industry experts at Bytedance was also incredibly rewarding."

The final judging of the 2024 TikTok TechJam took place at TikTok’s Singapore Head Office on August 8, 2024.

The APU team's achievement reflects their exceptional talent and dedication. Their innovative solution has the potential to make a significant impact on the industry and community in the future.