KUCHING: The Sarawak-SG Friendship AI Vibe Design Hackathon wrapped up participants reflecting on their journey of collaboration, learning, and creativity during the closing ceremony at Makeramai Makerspace, Plaza Merdeka.

The event attracted local and international youth innovators, who spent the day building AI-driven design solutions, taking part in team demos, and presenting their ideas to judges before the final showcase.

One of the judges, CEO of HumanLogica, Dr. Kamri Aziz, praised the participants for their creativity and quick grasp of technology.

“The participants were very good. They managed to grasp the technology in a short time frame, and the winners in particular did a marvellous job of using AI for research and producing a very polished product within just two hours,” he said.

Another judge, founder of Ibrandium, Afiq Katim, highlighted the strong storytelling showcased through the projects.

“What impressed me the most was how the participants portrayed the stories of Sarawak and the partnership between Singapore and Sarawak. Some groups managed to highlight these elements better, showing how AI can help tell Sarawak’s story to the world,” he explained.

For the participants, the hackathon was more than just a competition. A local participant from UTS, Alif, said the experience was invaluable for both knowledge and personal growth.

“What I’ve learned in this hackathon, the most valuable thing I can gain is both knowledge and experience. As a shy person, this experience really helped me overcome my fears and interact with the judges and presenters,” he shared.

Meanwhile, an international participant originally from Russia, Elena, described her first AI hackathon as inspiring.

“My experience of collaboration with other participants was absolutely amazing. It was beyond my expectations. It was my first AI hackathon and it was so inspiring. We had so much fun as a team and we already want to repeat this again next year,” she said.

In spite of the short period, participants said the challenges pushed them to think creatively and adapt quickly.

Many also expressed enthusiasm about applying what they learned in their future studies, careers, and community projects.

The event ended with networking and photography, where participants celebrated new friendships and expressed hope to join similar initiatives in the future. -UKASnews