Imagine creating a solution for a Bahamian problem in a single day – from fixing potholes to helping to find the right healthcare. That is what dozens of participants who packed a recent workshop did with the help of experts who put the power to solve Bahamian issues into local hands.
Attendees at the Bahama Vibes AI Vibathon at Margaritaville on Thursday, July 9, were urged to “come with an idea, leave with an app” – and that is exactly what happened in a room filled with eager hopefuls as teams came up with a range of solutions in a single day. The event was organized and hosted by Proficient Business Services, PBS. It was the second in a series that featured international expert Noelle Russell, one of the designers of Microsoft’s right hand helper Alexa.
From fixing potholes to preparing for hurricanes, from pairing donors with charities to helping people find the healthcare they need across the islands of The Bahamas, teams ended the day with working apps created from scratch – and putting themselves on a path to being AI champions for the country.
Montino Roberts, executive chairman of PBS, thanked participants for seizing the “incredible opportunity” of the day.
“We had a packed room, and what was really special was that some of those in attendance were people who came in there who were doing this for the first time, yet the groups all worked together and came out of it with a final product. These were not just experiments in a classroom, these were real solutions to real challenges. It showed what a difference a day makes, as the song goes, and what a difference AI can make right here at home,” said Mr Roberts.
The award for solo vibe went to a solution to track potholes and other necessary repairs, with an app that included using Google Maps to locate the problem and to alert government departments. It was a problem that was a popular one to take on – with four different groups working on similar apps during the event.
The “Most Creative” award went to an app matching physician services across the islands to patient needs, including mental health needs, with Mr Roberts saying he “cannot wait to take this from minimal remarkable product to full production”. The “Best in Show” award went to an app tracking activities and time management for tourists to help them make the most of their visit and still reach the cruise ship on time, while the “Most Likely To Save The World” award went to an app matching donors to charities.
“This technology has to be understood by everyone,” said Noelle Russell. “It will be woven in whether you know it or not into every tool you use. Every product, every web application you use, every mobile application, your bank, your healthcare. AI is everywhere, and so with a lack of understanding it actually is a disservice to communities that do not understand it.”
She added: “This group will become champions for the work we do here and so we will do it again. We are trying to make everyone in here become an advocate so they can say you know, we built this thing.”
“The first thing is education. We call it ARC – awareness, readiness, competitive advantage. So the first thing is awareness. You have to know what this is. I would say uncross your arms, be willing to embrace the technology, learn a little about it, but the readiness is actually building something that is useful. And it’s better if you’re not building something that is for yourself but you’re building something for something else – I was talking about core values, what could you build for someone else that would excite you? That is an important next step of readiness to get them from learning about it to being about it.”
For more information about future events or to contact PBS, visit pbshope.com.
The post Bahamian team members show off their trophies after winning awards at the Bahama Vibes AI Vibathon appeared first on ZNS BAHAMAS.
