The American University of Bahrain (AUBH) hosted the second edition of its Annual Generative AI Hackathon, a three-day event held on its campus. Sponsored by North Star Technology, Reboot 01 Coding Institute, and ThinkSmart for Training and Development, the hackathon cantered around the theme “The Future of Media Creation and Innovation.”
The event brought together 40 talented students from eight universities across the Kingdom, forming 10 interdisciplinary teams. Over three days, participants engaged in workshops, discussions, and an exciting challenge: developing a modern static website using Generative AI to communicate the principles of Responsible AI. Each team tailored its project to a specific or general audience, incorporating elements like videos, animations, infographics, games, and more to create impactful digital experiences.
The hackathon began with training workshops and discussions on generative AI and its applications in multimedia, along with hands-on training in AI-driven content creation. Participants received expert guidance on professional content production, the main challenge was introduced, and teams were formed to develop and present their ideas.
On the second day, the competition focused on designing modern, static websites using generative AI to convey responsible AI principles. Each team created a unique project for a specific or broad audience, incorporating videos, animations, charts, and games to deliver engaging digital experiences, while AI and multimedia experts provided mentorship throughout the process.
The third day featured live project demonstrations before a jury that evaluated submissions based on creativity, quality, and impact. The projects showcased innovative approaches to responsible AI across education, media, and ethics. The event concluded with an awards ceremony attended by university representatives and industry experts.
First place was awarded to Amani Fardan, Abdulrahman Idrees, Isa Abdullah, and Reem Yasser from the ‘Ethical Bytes’ team. The second-place winners were Maryam Yusuf, Sabika Amjad, and Sara Bucheeri from the ‘Al-Explorer’ team. Third place went to Zain Mayoof, Khaled Ahamad, Ali AlMadhoob, and Manal Al Balooshi from the ‘TruePixel’ team.
Dr. Marwan Hameed, Dean of the College of Engineering and Computing at the American University of Bahrain, underscored the event’s role in cultivating a dynamic learning environment where students refine their technical and creative skills through hands-on projects led by industry experts, gaining exposure to innovative technologies that enhance content production efficiency.
Dr. Hameed stated, “Generative AI marks a transformative shift in the future of media. It is revolutionising the content creation industry through advanced tools that enable the production of multimedia content with unprecedented efficiency and precision. These technologies empower journalists and content creators to develop integrated visual and textual materials rapidly, creating more engaging and dynamic media experiences.”
Dr. Hameed further added, “Through this hackathon, we aim to equip students with the opportunity to explore these cutting-edge tools, transform their ideas into practical projects, and benefit from a unique learning and collaborative experience. This initiative is designed to enhance their capacity to adapt to technological advancements and actively contribute to shaping the future of digital media.”