Jonathan Keiser, associate vice president of Academic Technology and AI Enablement at the University of St. Thomas, spoke with the Pioneer Press about the university’s inaugural Tommie Buildfest, a 24-hour AI hackathon focused on combating hunger and food insecurity. The student-led event invites participants from high school through graduate school to develop websites and software applications using artificial intelligence to support nonprofits and community organizations, demonstrating how AI can be applied ethically and creatively for the common good.
From the article:
The club has had at least initial conversations with Tommie Shelf, the on-campus grocery give-away, as well as Loaves and Fishes, which serves free meals throughout the Twin Cities, and The Food Group, which operates a food bank, a traveling grocery in a converted school bus and a farm-based agricultural program.
Nonprofits don’t have to attend the Buildfest to enjoy the fruits of its labor, though an optional 30-minute focus group session in advance would help the students understand each agency’s mission and needs.
“The organizations that would benefit the most from this probably have the least resources and are the least connected,” said Jonathan Keiser, associate vice president of Academic Technology and AI Enablement, who also is a faculty adviser for the club. “We will take participants and community partners right up until the day of.”
