Look What AI “Made” Us Do – Our First AI Hackathon
In a world where AI is reshaping industries and lives, how can we leverage its power to improve our work and lives? The responses were diverse when we asked individuals what AI means to them. Some saw it as a disruptive force, while others viewed it as a tool for growth. Atlassian has announced AI will be built into the Atlassian platform. This is one of the biggest announcements they made this year.
At Communardo, we also see it as a valuable tool to foster creativity and embrace working smarter. To explore the possibility of what AI holds for our future, we have recently organised an exciting Hackathon that brought us all together to come up with creative ideas. Today, we invite you to take a look at this AI-powered Hackathon experience.
An Online Gathering of Minds
The Hackathon was held online to accommodate our internationally based colleagues. We have expected this long before it even started, weeks of preparation went into a smooth flow. It opened doors to all departments, all cost is an interest in AI. The Hackathon kicked off with an energizing ice-breaking game at 9 am, held by our Product Owner Dea, Scrum Master & DJ Maya and one more mysterious assistant. (click to see the video of our AI representative).
To capture our colleagues’ perceptions of AI, we were first asked to contribute our thoughts on a virtual whiteboard (picture below). I was quite excited to see what AI meant for different people. The answers range from serious insights to lighthearted memes. Despite the occasional humour, a common thread emerged: the belief that AI is a powerful tool that can collaborate seamlessly with human beings. We also dived into the top 5 AI trends in 2023 to give everyone some insights. The excitement in the virtual room was real as everyone connected and engaged with one another.
Presentations: Showcasing Ingenuity and Potential
As the Hackathon progressed, 5 teams formed, with 6 people in each group. Enthusiasm filled the air as ideas began to flow freely, all documented their ideas on their Working Bays on the virtual Mural board. Each participant first wrote down our vision about a new AI app product, spanning various ecosystems. Through vibrant discussions within the teams, we reached a collective decision to select the most promising idea. By noon, the six teams—MWG+, Jiravis, “The Gardeners,” The Quirky Misfits, and Knowly—were born. After a powerful lunch, the five teams restored the energy and continued to work on the presentations and were ready to amaze the other teams.
During the presentations, each team eloquently presented their innovative ideas, leaving everyone in awe. I was amazed at the same time proud of having such creative colleagues. By the end of the presentations, it was such a dilemma to decide who is the winner. In the end, Team Knowly secured slightly more votes than the other teams and won the final prize. Despite the most-voted presentation, every team’s ideas are innovative and have the potential to develop in real life. We eagerly anticipate watching these fledgling concepts grow and take flight. And we also look forward to more events like this being held in the future.
The hackathon experience drew to an end with lovely feedback from all the participants. Looking ahead, the Hackathon was just the beginning—a remarkable showcase of the power of collaboration and the possibilities AI holds. As we move forward, we remain committed to developing ideas for our customers. If you have any ideas that you would like to share or discuss our products, we are very delighted to learn more about them!