As part of the internal Ringier Serbia AI Championship, which ran for five months, our colleagues presented numerous innovative and practical AI solutions with a clear focus on improving business processes. After an intensive evaluation process, the winning project was Server File Scanner, proving that the most valuable innovations are born where technology meets real business challenges.
AI Championship 2025: Innovations That Deliver Real Results
During the AI Championship, held from July to December, participants showcased a range of projects designed to bring measurable improvements to everyday operations. In the final round, a jury composed of members of the management board selected the winners from three outstanding finalists, guided by clearly defined criteria and tangible business impact.
In its decision, the jury placed special emphasis on business relevance and contribution through solving real operational challenges, achieving time and storage savings, and reducing operational risk. Equally important were the feasibility and sustainability of the solutions, supported by a clear implementation concept and a rational cost-benefit balance, as well as the level of innovation — particularly in the creative use of AI tools, enhancement of existing processes, and potential for broader adoption and standardization.
Winning Solution: Server File Scanner
The title of the first Ringier Serbia AI Champion was awarded to Server File Scanner — a Windows desktop application that automates server file analysis, identifies inactive data, and accurately detects duplicates based on content (hash method), even when files have different names.
The solution enables the safe processing of large volumes of data — up to 80 terabytes — without interrupting system operations, while delivering potential storage savings of up to 40%.
The project was tested during the competition and has been actively used at Blic Television for the past month, where it has already produced significant improvements in archive management. For example, in a 1 TB folder, the system now finds duplicates in just 15 minutes, regardless of file names — a task that previously required days of manual work.
The Team Behind the Success
Behind this achievement stands a dedicated cross-functional team: Milorad Mijić (left), Technical Director at Blic TV; Stefan Ilić (right), Senior IT Broadcast Specialist; and Jovana Đorđević, Archivist at Blic TV. Their collaboration enabled an initial idea to evolve into a stable, reliable, and scalable solution.
AI in Everyday Work: A Practical Perspective
Milorad Mijić, a member of the winning team, shares his view:
“Use tools that allow you to focus on the creative and strategic aspects of your work, while leaving routine and technical tasks to AI. AI will not replace people, but it will make everyday work easier — so there is no reason for fear, only for curiosity and for exploring the new possibilities that continue to grow every day.”