From Concept to Reality: Our Journey as Top 25 Teams in APAC’s First AI Hackathon
On 22nd November 2024, my team and I embarked on an exciting journey, competing in APAC’s first AI hackathon organised by GovTech Singapore and OpenAI. With the theme “AI for the Public Good,” the event aimed to transform visionary ideas into impactful solutions using cutting-edge AI models like OpenAI’s GPT-4o Realtime and o1 Reasoning. Out of numerous entries across the region, we were thrilled to be shortlisted as one of the top 25 teams for this one-day challenge.
Our idea focused on redefining student assessment in Singapore. Traditional evaluations often emphasise academics, but we envisioned an AI-powered holistic assessment system that values diverse strengths, fosters all-rounded development, and identifies leadership potential. Our solution included a student development dashboard to bridge the communication gap between parents and educators.
Our Concept in Action
The portal we conceptualized would:
- Automate Assessments: Mark compositions using level-specific marking schemes and analyze students’ art pieces for creativity and emotional insight.
- Holistic Development Tracking: Link assessment outcomes to a student’s development schema, enabling real-time insights into their growth.
- Strengthen Feedback Loops: Provide immediate, actionable feedback to parents and teachers, avoiding the usual term-end rush.
Building the Dream Team
With a tight 4-hour timeframe, our team of five engineers — two Software Engineers (SWE), two Quality Engineers (QE), and one DevOps specialist — divided responsibilities to maximise efficiency. While hackathons may not traditionally highlight QE roles, we strongly believe in their vital contributions to brainstorming, design, and product rollout.
- QEs: Designed the UI and schema, input data, and ensured seamless functionality.
- 1 SWE: Focused on creating the application framework.
- 1 SWE + DevOps: Explored AI model integration and prepared deployment pipelines.
The Day Unfolds
The day began with an inspiring speech by GovTech’s Permanent Secretary and a group photo to commemorate the event. Afterward, teams were dispersed into rooms to set up and start hacking at 10 AM sharp. For four intense hours, our team brought our concept to life, ensuring every detail aligned with the judging criteria:
- Effective Use of AI Models
- Innovative Application
- Implementation Quality
- Presentation Clarity
- Alignment with the Theme
The Final Countdown
At 2 PM, we wrapped up our coding marathon and prepared for the presentations. Each team had two minutes to pitch their idea, followed by a one-minute Q&A. The atmosphere buzzed with innovation, as teams showcased solutions addressing public health, sustainability, and education.
Although we didn’t make the top 5 finalists, the experience was invaluable. We gained insights into the latest AI trends and saw firsthand the areas Singapore is prioritizing for AI innovation.
Key Takeaways
Participating in this hackathon highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. While backend development was our team’s strength, the event reinforced the significance of UI/UX design, testing, and deployment in creating a functional product under time constraints.
To anyone hesitant about participating in hackathons, especially QEs or non-developers: your skills are vital. Whether it’s brainstorming, validating concepts, or ensuring functionality, every team member brings unique strengths to the table.
Closing Thoughts
Being part of the top 25 in APAC’s first AI hackathon was an incredible journey. We are proud to have contributed to the theme of “AI for the Public Good” by proposing a solution that aligns with Singapore’s vision for the future. Events like these remind us of the transformative power of technology when used to solve real-world challenges.
This hackathon may have ended, but our mission to leverage AI for meaningful impact has only just begun.
#GovTechOpenAIHackathon #LAUNCH! #AIFORPUBLICGOOD
From Concept to Reality: Our Journey as Top 25 Teams in APAC’s First AI Hackathon was originally published in Government Digital Products, Singapore on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.