A new AI–powered web application is underway and the immediate priority is a robust, well-architected backend. I already have high-level product requirements and some early frontend prototypes; what’s missing is the server-side logic that will tie everything together, expose clean REST/GraphQL APIs, and host the machine-learning models that drive the core features. Your role centres on backend development. I’m flexible on language and framework—Node.js, Django/Flask, or Spring Boot are all on the table—so long as the final stack is scalable, well-tested, and easy for other engineers to extend. Cloud deployment (AWS or GCP), containerisation (Docker), CI/CD and security best practices should feel second nature to you. Deliverables • Design and implement the backend architecture, including database schema and API layer • Integrate existing or new AI/ML models into the service layer, exposing prediction endpoints • Set up automated testing, logging, and monitoring • Package and deploy to a staging environment with clear hand-over documentation Quality will be assessed on code readability, test coverage, adherence to agreed conventions, and the smoothness of the deployment pipeline. If you’ve built production-ready backends that power data-intensive or AI-driven products, let’s talk—please share a concise example or two and outline how you’d approach the first milestone.