Think. Build. Impact. — AI & Society's First Hackathon

💡 THINK. BUILD. IMPACT.
AI & Society's First Hackathon — Brisbane
What if you could spend one Saturday turning a real community problem into a working AI solution?
That's exactly what we're doing.
AI & Society Lab Day is a hands-on, people-first build event. Unlike a traditional hackathon, we're not here to ship the slickest app — we're here to ask better questions, think about real human needs, and use AI as a tool to address them.
No computer science degree required. No prior build experience needed. Just a problem you care about and the curiosity to explore what's possible.
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THE FORMAT
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This isn't a typical tech event. The day is structured in three acts:
ACT 1 — THINK (Morning)
We slow down before we speed up. Keynote provocations, facilitated discussion, and a practical AI tool workshop set the scene. You'll leave the morning session with sharper thinking and a clear problem to solve.
ACT 2 — BUILD (Afternoon)
Teams form around shared problems and spend the afternoon building with AI tools — supported by mentors the whole way. The goal isn't perfection; it's a working prototype that demonstrates an idea.
ACT 3 — SHOW (Late afternoon)
Teams share what they built, what they learned, and what surprised them. Community awards recognise not just the best build — but the boldest idea, the most human-centred solution, and the team that pivoted best.
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RUN OF DAY
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9:00 AM — Doors open, coffee & arrival
9:30 AM — Welcome from Sophia Arkinstall, Founder of AI & Society
10:00 AM — Keynote: AI in the real world — what's working, what's not
10:30 AM — Hands-on tool session: build faster with AI (Claude, ChatGPT, v0 & more)
12:00 PM — Lunch, team formation & challenge selection
1:00 PM — Facilitated problem definition sprint
1:30 PM — Mentored build session
3:30 PM — Team showcases (3 mins + questions)
4:15 PM — Community awards & wrap
5:00 PM — Close
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CHALLENGE AREAS
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Teams choose a challenge area that matters to them:
→ Cities & communities of the future
→ Health, care & human connection
→ Climate, sustainability & environment
→ Learning, work & economic opportunity
→ Open — bring your own problem
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COMMUNITY AWARDS
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We recognise more than just the best demo:
🏆 Best overall solution
💡 Boldest idea
🤝 Most human-centred design
🔄 Best pivot (biggest learning moment)
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WHAT YOU'LL LEAVE WITH
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✅ A working prototype you built in a day
✅ New ways of thinking about AI as a practical tool
✅ Connections across Brisbane's AI, design, and community ecosystem
✅ Lunch & refreshments
✅ Access to AI & Society's member community across Australia
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WHO THIS IS FOR
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→ Professionals who want to understand AI by doing, not just watching
→ Founders and entrepreneurs with a problem worth solving
→ Designers, researchers and creatives
→ Students and recent graduates
→ Anyone who's thought "I wish someone would build something for this"
You don't need to code. You need to think.
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WHAT TO BRING
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💻 A laptop (essential)
🔑 A free account: Claude.ai, ChatGPT, or similar
💡 A problem you care about — or come open, we'll help you find one
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ABOUT AI & SOCIETY
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AI & Society is a community exploring what artificial intelligence means for the way we live, work and build cities. Founded in Brisbane in January 2025 with 20 people, we now have members across Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Parramatta.
We run seminars, roundtables, workshops and hands-on labs — always with real people, real questions and real conversation at the centre.
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NOTICE OF PHOTOGRAPHY & FILMING
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By attending, you acknowledge that photography, audio and video recording may occur and may be used for AI & Society promotional purposes. If you'd prefer not to be recorded, please let an organiser know on arrival. Thank you.