AI and Big Data Expo North America adds Google-backed hackathon

By AI, Created 5:15 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – AI and Big Data Expo North America is launching a two-day hackathon in San Jose on May 18-19, 2026, with Google as headline technology partner. The event gives developers and AI teams a chance to build enterprise-focused prototypes in person or online, with winners showcased to thousands of conference attendees.

Why it matters: - The hackathon gives developers a path to turn AI concepts into working enterprise prototypes during a major North America conference. - Google’s involvement adds access to Gemini and Google AI Studio, which can speed up testing and development for teams building against real business use cases. - Winning teams will get live visibility in front of the conference’s senior enterprise audience, which can help move projects toward adoption, partners, or funding.

What happened: - AI and Big Data Expo North America announced a new AI Hackathon for May 18-19, 2026, alongside its flagship conference at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. - Google is the headline technology partner. - The competition is open to developers, engineers, AI innovators, solo participants, and teams. - Participants can join either onsite in San Jose or online.

The details: - May 18 is Build Day, when teams will work on solutions in person or remotely. - May 19 is the Demos and Awards session, when teams will present finished projects. - Winning teams will be invited to present live on the AI Developer Track on Day 2 of the conference. - Participants will have access to Gemini, Google’s multimodal AI models that work across text, images, code, video, and audio. - Google AI Studio will also be available for prototyping, testing, and iteration before projects move toward production through the Gemini API. - Projects must solve a real-world problem using AI, robotics, automation, data, or connected technologies. - Judging will focus on practical value, technical thinking, and a working demonstration. - Teams can compete in one of five tracks: AI and Automation, Robotics, Security and Trust, Connected Systems, and Data and Intelligence. - The broader conference is expected to draw more than 8,000 innovators, 250 speakers, and 250 exhibitors across seven co-located events. - Registration is open now, and full details are available at the hackathon registration page.

Between the lines: - The format pushes participants to build for enterprise use rather than speculative demos. - The hybrid setup widens the talent pool and makes the competition accessible to teams that cannot travel. - Positioning the winners on a main conference track increases the odds that strong projects will get business attention quickly.

What’s next: - Teams can register now for the May 18-19 event. - Selected projects will be judged during the hackathon and showcased to conference attendees if they win. - The live presentation on the AI Developer Track will give winning teams a broader audience during the conference. - Sponsorship opportunities are also being promoted alongside registration.