UMich hosts first-ever AI Hackathon
UMich hosts first-ever AI Hackathon
Publish Date: 2026-02-23 00:53:00
Source Domain: www.michigandaily.com
More than 250 students gathered for the first-ever 24-hour AI Hackathon from 5 p.m. Thursday to 4 p.m. Friday. The event was a partnership with the technology company Oracle, alongside the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and the College of Engineering.
The event began with opening remarks and the unveiling of the year’s problem statement, which asked how artificial intelligence can be used to “improve the college experience” and well-being in education. Participants were tasked with creating a presentation that included a working demo of the AI agent, as well as marketing and budgeting for the model.
Competing students were assigned to teams of three or four, consisting of both Business and Engineering students. The competition began in the Leinweber Computer Science and Information building, and ended on Friday in the Tauber Colloquium, where the winners of the Hackathon were announced.
In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Holly Taylor, Michigan Engineering Connect director of community engagement, said the Hackathon began after meeting Phil Brabbs, managing director and adjunct lecturer at the Business School, and deciding to combine their backgrounds.
“The vision behind all of this was from me meeting Phil at a private function where we were just talking about what we did, him being from Ross and me being from engineering,” Taylor said. “So we started just talking about what it was that we could do as a collaboration together to try and get, you know, these students to collaborate.”
In an interview with The Daily, Brabbs said that the Hackathon helped connect students from different academic backgrounds.
“I could be wrong, but I think this is the first time really that engineering and Ross have partnered this closely on a joint program at this magnitude,” Brabbs said. “Next year, we’re hoping to expand even more and actually open up to all of campus.”
The event concluded Friday, where the top…
