TL;DR: Gloo is hosting its second annual “AI & the Church Hackathon” in September 2024 to mobilize technologists and church leaders to build AI tools that support ministry and human flourishing.
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Gloo, a technology platform company whose mission is to “releasee the collective might of the faith ecosystem,” has announced its second annual AI & the Church Hackathon, scheduled for September 13-15, 2024, in Boulder, Colorado. This event aims to advance artificial intelligence-based technology in service of the faith community, with a focus on “Redemptive Technology.”
The 2024 hackathon builds on the success of last year’s event, which drew 41 teams and awarded $250,000 in cash prizes.
Last Year’s Winners from the 2023 AI & The Church Hackathon
This year, Gloo is expanding the event to accommodate up to 300 participants while maintaining the $250,000 prize pool. Teams will develop AI-powered solutions to support church thriving and human flourishing, with the opportunity to apply for additional acceleration funding post-hackathon.
Key Highlights of the 2024 AI & the Church Hackathon Include:
- A keynote address by Intel CEO and Gloo Chairman Pat Gelsinger on “The Power of AI to Do Good”
- Facilitation by Nick Skytland and Ali Llewellyn from Quite Uncommon, experienced hackathon organizers
- A working group will convene to discuss issues related to responsible AI use, featuring faith and technology leaders
- Participation from organizations like YouVersion, Right Now Media, ACS Technologies, and PushPay
Steele Billings, head of Gloo Ventures, emphasized the importance of exploring AI’s potential in the faith context: “We’ve discovered in our ongoing research with Barna Group that the majority of pastors believe that God can work through AI. This underscores the need to explore and invest in technologists and solutions that can help people flourish.”
The hackathon aims to create a space for Kingdom-minded technologists to collaborate and develop solutions that honor God and serve the Church. Ali Llewellyn of Quite Uncommon added, “At this year’s event, we will continue to harness the transformative power of AI and apply it in new and redemptive ways in order to advance the big C Church.”
As AI continues to shape various aspects of ministry and church operations, events like the AI & the Church Hackathon, Missional AI conference, and online communities like AIforChurchLeaders.com (with corresponding Facebook Group) play a crucial role in fostering innovation and responsible development of faith-based technologies.
This gathering represents an exciting opportunity for technologists and church leaders to collaborate in harnessing AI’s potential for the benefit of faith communities worldwide.
Church technology leaders and developers interested in participating can find more information and register at www.gloo.us/hackathon.
