A conversation with Velou’s Snr. Software Engineer Jayana Kalansuriya, and Founder & CEO SadeeGamhewa
The competitive arena of ecommerce, where visibility is paramount and seamless customer experiences drive success, is set to be revolutionised with the introduction of Velou- an innovative solution that utilises artificial intelligence (AI) to redefine how online retailers present their products to the world.
This exclusive interview with Velou Senior Software Engineer Jayana Kalansuriya and, Founder & CEO, SadeeGamhewa, unveils the intricate mechanisms and ambitious vision propelling Velou to the forefront of digital commerce.
Following are excerpts from the interview:
Q: Sadee, can you explain in simple terms how Velou is changing the ecommerce world?
SadeeGamhewa: Absolutely. Today, product data is the backbone of ecommerce success. However, outdated and keyword-driven catalog systems often fail to keep pace with evolving customer behaviors and AI-driven search platforms. Products become harder to find across search engines, ad networks, and marketplaces.
Velou bridges this gap. Our platform transforms raw product data into refined, enriched information that is relevant, discoverable, and conversion-ready. Using intelligent AI systems, we help retailers improve visibility, increase conversions, and stay competitive – without requiring manual rework across thousands of listings.
Q: Jayana, from a technical perspective, how does Velou achieve this improvement in product information?
JayanaKalansuriya: For us at Velou, it’s been a journey of constant learning and pushing the boundaries of applied AI. We first dove deep into getting computers to grasp human language – what we often refer to as Natural Language Understanding (NLU) and Natural Language Processing (NLP).
This was key to really understanding the meaning behind product information and structuring it intelligently. Following that, we brought in Computer Vision, to analyse images and extract visual details about products.
And now, we’re at the forefront, with advanced ecommerce multimodal large language models. These models can understand both text and images together, which is a game-changer for ecommerce. My team focuses on designing and integrating these cutting-edge AI systems to ensure Velou remains at the edge of technological advancements.
Q: Sadee, you mentioned Velou has a ‘#ProductCatalogAgent’. What exactly is that, and why is it so significant?
SadeeGamhewa: The product catalog agent (#ProductCatalogAgent) functions as a highly intelligent virtual assistant, specifically focused on your online store’s product listings. Rather than simply adhering to basic guidelines, it genuinely understands the subtle aspects of product information.
This allows it to automatically identify errors, fill in missing details, and ensure everything stays up-to-date across all the platforms where a store sells. Think of it as having a dedicated team of experts working continuously to refine your product listings, all without requiring any manual effort on your part. That is the core value and capability of the product catalogue agent.
Q: Jayana, you highlighted the focus on ‘Agentic AI’. How does this relate to the product catalog agent and its capabilities?
JayanaKalansuriya: We envision the future of AI lies in the development of systems that can operate independently. Agentic AI involves constructing systems that can proactively make informed decisions, collaborate with various tools, and adjust to new data automatically.
The product catalogue agent exemplifies this very concept. It is not just a passive instrument; it can actively pinpoint problems within a product catalogue, logically determine the most effective solutions, and then automatically put those solutions into practice. This degree of independence is what empowers retailers to achieve improved outcomes more rapidly and with considerably less manual intervention.
We see agentic solutions as the logical progression of AI for businesses- intelligent systems that genuinely collaborate with teams, rather than simply executing tasks for them.
Q: Sadee, what is the ultimate goal for Velou in the ecommerce space?
SadeeGamhewa: Ultimately, our aim is to enable online retailers, regardless of their scale, to succeed in an increasingly AI-driven digital landscape. We believe that we can facilitate stronger connections with a wider customer base, drive sales growth, and contribute to their overall business expansion through the enhancement of the intelligence and discoverability of their product information.
We foresee a future where the complexities of managing product data are seamlessly handled by intelligent AI, allowing store owners to concentrate on their core strengths- developing and marketing exceptional products. Velou is building the intelligent infrastructure for that future.