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AI Making Challenge: Prompt and Validate
Your task, as an individual or as a team of 2, is to create a project with AI. It could be a data visualization, story, video, web application, piece of music, or anything within the scope of the challenge rules that utilizes AI tools. Instead of relying solely on a one-shot prompt that creates AI-generated outputs, you will iteratively prompt (give multiple inputs), validate (reflect on outputs), and intervene to shape a project into something of which you have been an integral part.
Your submitted presentation and reflection on this process will be as important as the project artifact itself. Technical knowledge could be an asset for some projects but it is not a necessary requirement for success! Students of all backgrounds are welcome.
Participants will be invited to an in-person showcase of projects at Dawson College where prizes across a range of categories will be awarded on May 14, 2025.
Follow the rules and the guidelines to submit no later than May 9, 2025. Challenge starts on March 24, 2025.
Overview
The rapid development of artificial intelligence is impacting most fields of human endeavour. As AI tools and applications become more capable and accessible, it is increasingly important for students to develop critical AI literacy as they acquire skills for understanding and using them in the future. This challenge is designed to introduce participants to the possibilities of AI in practice, to experiment, and to consider its appropriate (or inappropriate) use, potential biases, ethical implications, and impacts on their learning.
Some Possible Guiding Questions
Here are some questions to consider when making your projects:
- What are my goals in making this project?
- How much of the "thinking" am I handing over to an AI system when I make something?
- Where did the data used to train the AI come from?
- How might biases in AI data shape creative or technical work?
- Who owns AI-generated content?
- How does the AI system I used work?
- When is using AI beneficial or problematic and why?
- What can I learn from my interactions with an AI?
The challenge is an invitation to navigate these questions and build a critical perspective while exploring the use of AI tools. We can't wait to see what you will make.
Requirements
What to Make
Follow these steps in making your project.
- Define a project. Identify what you wish to make. (data visualization, short story, digital artwork, song, web application, etc.). See the discord community #resources channel for examples.
- Choose your AI tool(s). Select from a curated list of acceptable tools (e.g., ChatGPT for text, DALL·E for images, GitHub Copilot for coding). You may wish to use other tools. Confirm with organizers if a tool you wish to use is not on the list. See the discord community #resources channel for more information.
- Document your interactions as you generate and iterate your project. To communicate your project journey it is important to document the process. At minimum, capture 3 screenshots (or images) of your process of creation clearly showing
- Starting point: an initial prompt and AI response.
- 2 or more illustrative examples of your intervention with AI-generated outputs showing how you directed the AI tool and/or what you did to modify the output.
These screenshots will be part of the image carousel of your submission. See submission example and discord #resources channel for more information.
- Submit your project--description, artifact, and relevant links--following the structure of our submission template.
What to Submit
As an individual or as a team of 2 you will create a project with AI.
Your final written submission and 3-minute presentation video is just as important as the project artifact itself. An example submission is provided at this link (to be updated at competition opening). It should have the following content:
-
Title, Tagline, and Thumbnail: Include a title, a representative project thumbnail image and a short tagline describing what your project does or represents.
- Built with: Include any tool, framework, platform, or library used to build your project. If the AI tool it is not in the approved tool list, check with the an @organizer.
- About the project: Follow the headings used in the project submission template. Since this section will be written in Markdown format, you should start with the blank template provided. Here you will communicate:
- What (We/I) Made.
Describe what your project does or represents. Include what inspired you and what your goal was in making this project. - AI Tools Used & Why.
Explain which AI tool(s) you used and your rationale for selecting them. Make sure they are from the approved list or have been confirmed with @organizer. Starting from, for example,- ChatGPT for story brainstorming
- DALL-E for image generation
- GitHub Copilot for coding assistance
- The Process.
describe briefly how you intervened from starting point to the final product. - Ethical & Practical Insights
e.g., ownership, bias, any difficulties. address the questions provided in the submission template. - What Was Learned.
Conclude with some remarks on what you learned, challenges you have faced, and any key takeaways you want to share.
- What (We/I) Made.
- 3-Minute Video Presentation: Briefly demonstrate your project. Introduce what it is, show or explain how it works, and highlight how AI was used. A simple screen recording or phone video is sufficient. Provide the link using one of the listed providers. If you wish to submit a video offline contact an @organizer.
- Images & Screenshots of AI Interactions: use the image carousel.
Awards & Prizes
- Grand Prize
- 2nd Prize
- 3rd Prize
- Best Use of AI (3 prizes)
- People’s Choice
Prizes
Grand Prize
2nd Prize
3rd Prize
Best Use of AI
People’s Choice
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Judges
Judge
Dawson College
Judge
AI Launch Lab
Judging Criteria
-
Implementation and Iteration
How effectively did you use AI? How did you clearly go beyond simply accepting the raw AI output? Were technical or creative challenges solved in a thoughtful way for the chosen medium (visual, auditory, textual, interactive, etc.)? -
Innovation
How innovative is the project. Is it a novel application of AI? -
Communication and Presentation
How clearly do you explain your process and decisions? Is the 3-minute video concise and engaging? Can others understand what you created and how? -
Ethics and Reflection
Do you show awareness of ethical considerations (data sources, bias, ownership)? Did you transparently distinguish your own contributions? Does your submission demonstrate thoughtful consideration of AI’s role?
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