Zindi Hosts First International AI Olympiad in Riyadh
The first-ever International AI Olympiad (IAIO) took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from September 9-11, 2024, bringing together 90 students from 25 countries. Organized by the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) and the International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) under UNESCO, the event aimed to foster global AI collaboration and innovation.
Event Structure
The IAIO featured two rounds: a scientific round focused on theoretical knowledge and a practical round powered by Zindi. In the practical round, participants tackled a real-world problem by predicting wildfires in the MENA region using various datasets, providing hands-on experience in addressing environmental issues.
Zindi’s Contribution
Celina Lee, CEO of Zindi, expressed pride in supporting the event. “Our mission at Zindi is to democratize access to data science opportunities. The IAIO exemplifies this vision by allowing future AI leaders to solve significant real-world problems on our platform,” she said.
Future Implications
This landmark competition blends academic rigor with practical application, setting the stage for future AI collaborations and innovations aimed at solving global challenges.
About Zindi
Zindi, Africa’s largest data science competition platform, connects data scientists with organizations to address complex problems through AI. With over 70,000 data scientists, Zindi fosters learning and innovation by crowdsourcing solutions to business challenges.