CASE STUDY
What role does technology play in ensuring the scalability and security of Malt ’ s platform as the freelance talent market continues to grow across Europe ?
Malt ’ s platform is designed with scalability in mind , leveraging modern cloud infrastructure and AI-driven automation to support its expansion across multiple European markets . As we enter new countries , compliance with local laws and regulations is our first step .
We also spend significant time on the scalability and robustness of our invoicing and payment platform so that companies can efficiently manage their
WHEN AI PROVIDES GUIDANCE , MALT ENSURES IT DOESN ’ T FEEL LIKE A BLACK BOX .
freelance workforce , ensuring that even as demand grows , hiring and managing projects with hundreds to thousands of freelancers remains fast and seamless for any company . for us to give the choice of AI . The team is actively designing solutions that give freelancers control over how automation interacts with their profiles and client communications , ensuring a balanced and chosen experience .
What are some of the biggest technological challenges you ’ ve faced while building and maintaining a platform of Malt ’ s size and scale , and how did you overcome them ?
One of the biggest challenges has been ensuring the effectiveness of AI search across diverse European markets . While AI search has shown strong performance in France , engagement in other markets like Belgium and Spain has been more challenging due to smaller freelancer pools and localised user behaviour .
Additionally , building custom AI models instead of solely relying on third-party Generative AI has required significant investment in data infrastructure and Machine Learning expertise . Malt has tackled these challenges by continuously iterating on AI-powered search and recommendation models – with over 20 updates since its launch .
How do you approach data privacy and compliance , particularly with regulations like GDPR , while handling such a vast volume of user data ?
Security is paramount to any project for us , and no client data is sent to third-party AI models , for instance . Additionally , encrypted storage and internal AI models minimise risks associated with handling sensitive business information .
With AI rapidly evolving , how do you balance automation with the human touch when it comes to user experience on your platform ?
We believe the future of work is deeply human and think AI is an opportunity to augment our freelancers and clients with efficiency gains , such as streamlining talent discovery and reducing administrative burdens . A client remains responsible for choosing who to work with , and so are freelancers . For us , it is not only an efficiency opportunity but also an opportunity to remove historical biases in recruitment .
Combining the best of humans and technology is our ambition and journey . We are working closely with academic partners on these questions and have received EU funding for that work . It is also important
Malt is fully GDPR-compliant , ensuring strict data protection standards . No freelancer or client data is sent to external Generative AI models – Malt only uses large language models for tasks like project description generation but never for personal or confidential data processing . All client and freelancer data remains securely stored on encrypted servers within Europe . With the upcoming EU AI Act , Malt is proactively preparing to meet compliance standards , even though regulatory enforcement mechanisms are still evolving . The company is also actively educating clients on AI compliance and leading industry discussions on responsible AI practices .
Essentially , Malt is run on distinct principles to ensure the responsible , ethical development of its AI tools :
1 . AI to assist and augment humans , not replace them . AI serves as a support tool , enhancing decision-making processes without taking over the critical human element of judgment and personal connection .
2 . Transparent recommendations . When AI provides guidance , Malt ensures it doesn ’ t feel
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