In an increasingly digitized world, AI has emerged as a transformative force that’s revolutionizing industries. Recognizing its transformative potential to solve modern business challenges, Gapstars – a Netherlands-based B2B service provider hosted the inaugural Gapstars AI Day. The initiative served as a platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration, bringing together experts, thought leaders, and talented engineers under one roof. To that end, the Gapstars AI Day featured a unique competition format, where AI solutions were judged based on business impact, materialization of an idea, and creativity. This structure enabled an environment where the Gapstars community came together to craft sustainable AI solutions that can enable the growth of companies across industry verticals.
Revisiting the Gapstars AI Day
The heart of the Gapstars AI Day was the highly anticipated competition that unfolded amidst an atmosphere of collaborative innovation. Two weeks before the event, participating engineering teams had the opportunity to present their initial ideas, laying the foundation for their AI-driven solutions. To ensure the teams were well-equipped for the challenge, the company provided them with valuable resources, including prompt engineering guidance and popular AI tools, allowing them to familiarize themselves with the concepts and technologies involved.
Fast forward to the event day and the Gapstars AI Day kicked off with a keynote speech by the Group Chief Analytics & AI Officer at Dialog Axiata, Dr. Romesh Ranawana, titled ‘Embracing the AI Revolution: How AI Will Shape the Future of Engineering.’ The presentation delved into the evolution of AI and its profound impact on the engineering landscape. Dr. Ranawana emphasized the need for a shift in mindset and work ethics among traditional developers to adapt to the ever-growing presence of AI. In closing, his keynote set the tone for the day by highlighting the significance of embracing AI as a transformative force.
Following the presentation, the engineering teams were faced with the challenge of fleshing out their initial ideas and bringing them to life. Afterwards, they presented their newly built AI solutions to a panel of judges, which consisted of senior leaders at Gapstars – Head of Delivery, Sachintha Kalambaarachchi, Software Architect, Gihan De Silva, Solution Architect, Pubudu Senadeera and the Head of Academy, Phillippa Lawless. Collectively, the panel evaluated each solution for its overall effectiveness based on the competition criteria and the team’s presentation skills. The additional aspect emphasized the importance of effectively communicating their ideas and findings, a crucial skill in today’s dynamic and collaborative engineering landscape.
The winners of the competition
After a thorough evaluation and intense deliberation by the judging panel, the Gapstars AI Day competition reached its exciting culmination. Among the talented engineering teams who participated, four outstanding teams emerged as winners, showcasing their remarkable AI-driven solutions. They are as follows:
- In joint 3rd place: Team Rentman & Team MyCademy
- 2nd place: Team Dual Inventive
- 1st place: Team Fixico
To celebrate their achievement, the 1st place winners were rewarded with a sunset cruise for their entire team courtesy of Sail Lanka. As the event drew to a close, the participants, judges, and attendees gathered to celebrate the remarkable achievements of the day. Thus, the Gapstars AI Day concluded with drinks and dinner, providing an opportunity for networking and further exchange of ideas.
What’s next? A community of builders pushing boundaries
The Gapstars AI Day was not just a momentous event; it was a platform for change by challenging perceptions and inspiring engineers to embrace the transformative potential of AI in software development. Looking towards the future, Gapstars’ hope for this initiative remains to inspire its community to push the boundaries of their creativity and explore the limitless possibilities AI has to offer, and build robust solutions. Thus, paving the way for a thriving ecosystem where engineers collaborate, learn, and innovate with AI to drive business impact and shape the technology landscape. The Gapstars AI Day is just the beginning of a journey that holds immense possibilities for growth, innovation, and positive transformation in the world of software development.
As Gapstars continues to spearhead efforts pushing the boundaries of innovation, including the possibilities of AI, the company is seeking industry experts to join its team. To learn more, head over to gapstars.net/careers and be a part of the Gapstars global journey.
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