A Gathering of Minds

Last month, Bengaluru played host to the inaugural Llama Hackathon in India, a collaborative effort between Reskilll and Meta. The event drew over 1,500 applications from eager participants, with 95 teams ultimately selected to compete. These talented individuals spent 30 hours, fueled by creativity and caffeine, to develop innovative AI solutions.

A focus on real-world impact

The hackathon was divided into three themes:

1. AI for Societal Good: Projects focused on using AI to address social issues and improve people’s lives.
2. Build on WhatsApp: Participants leveraged WhatsApp’s API to create innovative solutions.
3. AI on Edge: Projects explored the potential of AI on edge devices.

Winning innovations

• CurePharma AI: This team developed a healthcare solution that provides personalized medication information in regional languages, improving accessibility for rural and underserved populations.
• CivicFix: This team created an AI-powered bot that helps citizens report local issues through WhatsApp, streamlining the process and enabling efficient problem-solving.
• Evalssment: This team developed an AI-powered tool to automate the grading process for educators, reducing their workload and improving efficiency.
• Aarogya Assist: This team created a healthcare aggregator that provides access to essential healthcare services through WhatsApp, simplifying the process for users.

The future of AI in India

The Llama Hackathon India demonstrated the immense potential of AI in addressing real-world challenges. By providing access to powerful AI tools and fostering a collaborative environment, the event inspired innovation and empowered the next generation of AI developers. As India continues to emerge as a global AI hub, initiatives like this will play a crucial role in driving technological advancements and societal impact.