Pinterest opens new European hub for leveraging AI

Located in Zurich, Switzerland, the hub is the next step in Pinterest’s international growth strategy as it aims to spearhead innovation in AI and shopping infrastructure.

It will build on the platform’s current recent successes such as its AI-powered ads relevant on Pinterest and its visual search technology, which the company said outperforms leading large language models in identifying and recommending relevant content by 30%.

In addition to the new hub, Pinterest has made two new appointments. Matthias Zenger joins as vice president of engineering platforms, and Mirjam Wattenhofer is the new distinguished engineer.

Zenger’s role sees him oversee the platform’s technical infrastructure and foundational engineering platforms for global-scale innovation. He has 25 years experience in software engineering, distributed systems, and commerce technologies.

Wattenhofer will be responsible for enhancing Pinterest’s ecommerce tech and global user experience, accelerating progress in scaling and developing the infrastructure for inclusive AI.

Pinterest chief technology officer Matt Madrigal said: “At Pinterest, we’ve seen first-hand how AI is transforming the way people discover and shop for ideas they love. 

“By focusing on AI-powered solutions that connect users’ unique tastes with inspiration, we’re creating a more personalised experience for them and delivering meaningful results for partners worldwide. 

“With over half a billion people coming to Pinterest every month, harnessing AI is essential to provide relevant, inspiring experiences at scale.

“This expansion is a key part of Pinterest’s mission, and I’m truly excited to welcome exceptional talent like Matthias and Mirjam. Their extensive experience will help take Pinterest’s AI and shopping innovation to the next level.”