By: Elena Mart

Xingyu Zhang is a software engineer with a career spanning some of the most influential companies in the tech world. From Amazon to Microsoft and Michaels Stores, Zhang has applied his expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing to various industries, driving efficiency and innovation. In this interview, he reflects on his experiences, the lessons learned along the way, and his vision for the future. He also offers advice for aspiring software engineers looking to make their mark in similar fields.

Interviewer: Xingyu, you’ve worked at some of the biggest tech companies, such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Michaels Stores. How did your journey in software engineering begin, and what led you to focus on AI and cloud computing?

Xingyu Zhang: My journey began during my undergraduate studies at Jilin University in China, where I earned a degree in Software Engineering. I always had a fascination with how technology could solve real-world problems, but it wasn’t until my Master’s program at The George Washington University that I really honed in on AI and cloud computing. During my time there, I saw the potential of AI to transform industries and the ability of cloud technologies to scale these innovations. That’s why I’ve focused my career on them ever since.

Interviewer: Indeed! It’s fascinating how AI and cloud technologies have both advanced in recent years, and your work sits right at the intersection of these innovations. Can you share some learnings you gained, perhaps during your time at Amazon and Michaels Stores?

Xingyu Zhang: Absolutely. My time at both Amazon and Michaels Stores was incredibly formative. At Amazon, I worked on modernizing part of the AWS (Amazon Web Services) platform using Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) technologies. AWS is such a core part of the cloud infrastructure for businesses worldwide, so contributing to its development and modernization made me feel like I was having a real impact on the broader tech landscape. Working at Amazon was an intense learning experience because the scale at which AWS operates is massive. Everything we built had to be efficient, secure, and scalable. This experience reinforced the importance of writing clean, reliable code and thinking about the long-term implications of design decisions.

At Michaels Stores, I had the opportunity to work on a fascinating AI project where we developed a system to automatically assign tax codes to products based on their descriptions. This project showed me how AI could be applied in industries like retail to automate tedious tasks while improving accuracy and reducing human error. It was a great example of how AI can streamline operations in industries that might not traditionally be seen as tech-driven. The impact of such innovations goes beyond just cost savings—it creates new opportunities for job growth, as businesses can focus their resources on more strategic, value-added activities.

Interviewer: You’ve mentioned the use of AI across various industries. Can you expand on how you see AI transforming industries and its contribution to improving efficiency and reducing risks?

Xingyu Zhang: Sure. Actually, during my most recent role at Microsoft, I was part of a team that built an anti-fraud escalation web application. The purpose of this app was to identify suspicious subscriptions and escalate them for further review. The challenge here was to develop an architecture that could handle a large volume of data while ensuring quick and accurate fraud detection. Fraud is a huge problem for businesses because it can destabilize their operations and cause financial loss. By developing tools that help prevent fraud, I feel like I contributed to creating a safer environment for businesses to operate in. It also ties back to the broader mission of AI and technology—to create systems that can identify patterns and risks that humans might miss, all while improving efficiency.

I believe the key to successfully applying AI across different fields is understanding the core business problem first. Returning to my previous role at Michaels Stores, I worked on an AI project that assigned tax codes to products based on their descriptions. It wasn’t just about building a machine learning model but also about understanding how the retail industry operates, the importance of accuracy in tax classification, and the challenges businesses face in managing large inventories. In both cases, understanding the industry needs allowed me to tailor AI solutions that would provide real value.

Interviewer: You’ve successfully integrated AI into so many fields, from cloud computing to retail, fraud detection, and logistics. What advice would you give to other software engineers who want to explore AI-driven industry solutions?

Xingyu Zhang: I’d first say to always start with the industry problem rather than the technology. My second piece of advice is to keep learning. When I first started web development, I didn’t imagine I’d end up working with advanced AI models, but by staying open to learning and embracing new technologies, I was able to expand my skill set and apply AI in meaningful ways. Engineers who want to work with AI should be comfortable with the idea of continual learning and experimentation.

Interviewer: That’s great advice. You’ve accomplished so much, Xingyu, but I’m curious—what are your upcoming goals? Where do you see yourself in the future?

Xingyu Zhang: In the immediate future, I want to explore how AI can be integrated even further into industries like healthcare, finance, and manufacturing to drive greater efficiencies and improvements. In the longer term, I’m very interested in contributing to developing ethical AI practices. I’d like to be involved in shaping how AI can be used to benefit society while also addressing concerns around privacy, fairness, and transparency.

Interviewer: Thank you so much for sharing your journey and insights, Xingyu. Your experiences are incredibly inspiring, and we wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Xingyu Zhang: Thank you! I appreciate the opportunity to share my story and hopefully inspire fellow engineers.

Published by: Holy Minoza