The AgentX AI Hackathon concludes: Innovations by 250 Saudi talents

its AgentX Artificial Intelligence Hackathon on Thursday, a prominent technology event aimed at strengthening Saudi Arabia's position as a regional and global hub for technology and innovation. The hackathon witnessed broad participation from young technical talents, experts, and industry leaders, reflecting the growing interest in developing national capabilities in emerging technologies.

Competition details and innovation pathways

The hackathon witnessed fierce competition among more than 250 talented Saudi nationals , who underwent an intensive series of workshops and mentoring sessions led by a select group of experts. The participating teams worked diligently to develop innovative solutions to more than 17 technological challenges across vital sectors, including:

• health care.
• Education and skills development.
• Customer service and improving the digital experience.
• Video games and entertainment.

These challenges have been designed to simulate real-world problems, giving participants the opportunity to apply agentic AI techniques practically and effectively.

Agent-driven artificial intelligence: A quantum leap in the digital economy

This hackathon is being organized within a crucial strategic context, as the Kingdom, under Vision 2030 towards adopting the latest technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Delegate artificial intelligence (AI) represents the next generation of intelligent systems, going beyond simply generating text or images (as in generative AI) to the ability to make decisions and execute complex tasks independently on behalf of the user.

This event is of paramount importance as it contributes to bridging the gap between educational outputs and the rapidly evolving needs of the labor market, by providing national talents with the skills necessary to deal with AI agents, which will form the backbone of business in the near future, thus enhancing the global competitiveness of the Saudi digital economy.

Empowering talent and employment partnerships

The closing ceremony included introductory remarks highlighting the lasting impact of the hackathon in empowering national talent. The event was not merely a competition; it served as a platform connecting innovators with employers, showcasing outstanding projects and highlighting career opportunities offered by public and private sector recruitment partners. This underscores the Ministry's commitment to creating promising career paths for technical talent.

Crowning the winners and looking towards the future

At the conclusion of the event, the winning teams were announced and the top three winners were recognized, following a rigorous evaluation of their projects by a specialized judging panel comprised of leading industry experts. The evaluation criteria focused on innovation, applicability, and the anticipated impact of the proposed solutions.

The AgentX hackathon represents a pivotal step in the Kingdom’s journey towards building a vibrant digital society, serving as a bridge for continuous collaboration between innovators and decision-makers, driving the pace of technological localization and stimulating the emergence of startups that rely on advanced artificial intelligence technologies.