INFORMATION FOR
Build a Working AI Application in 48 Hours, Even If You've Never Written a Line of Code
Students at William Paterson University are about to discover that you don't need a Computer Science degree to create AI-powered applications. From March 24-26, 2026, you'll have the opportunity to use natural language AI tools to build, deploy, and showcase a real business solution. No programming knowledge is required. The AI tool will generate everything for you from plain English instruction prompts. By the end of the event, you'll have a live application to demonstrate during job interviews, helping you stand out from the competition.
Official Rules & Submission Guidelines
1. Purpose
The AI Hackathon Competition challenges students to develop responsible, feasible, and high-impact solutions to real-world problems. Participants will apply interdisciplinary thinking, structured problem-solving, and meaningful use of artificial intelligence to design implementable solutions.
2. Team Composition & Eligibility
· Teams must consist of 2–4 undergraduate students who are currently enrolled in the Undergraduate On-Campus Program at William Paterson University.
· Each team must include at least one Business major.
· Individual registrants will be assisted in forming teams prior to submission.
3. Challenges & Case Materials
· For the AI Hackathon Competition, teams will have the option to select from three business case challenges and develop innovative solutions.
· Case materials will be made available on the website to all registered participants by Friday, February 20, 2026.
· Teams may begin preliminary work before the hackathon on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
· Teams may submit solutions to one or more business challenges. Each submission will be evaluated independently.
4. AI Requirement (Mandatory)
Every team must meaningfully use Artificial Intelligence in their project. You must clearly explain how AI was used and why it improves your solution. Your submission must fit into one of the two options below:
Option 1: AI is Part of the Final Solution
AI plays an active role in how the solution works. The system relies on AI to analyze information, generate insights, make predictions, automate decisions, or enhance performance. If AI were removed, the solution would lose a key part of its functionality.
Option 2: The Solution Was Built Using AI
The final solution may not rely on AI during ongoing use, but AI tools were meaningfully used in designing, developing, modeling, analyzing, or prototyping the solution. AI must have materially contributed to the quality, structure, or effectiveness of the final output.
AI Responsibility Requirement
All teams must briefly address:
· Why AI is appropriate for this problem
· Data sources used (real, simulated, or synthetic)
· Ethical considerations, including bias and responsible use
· Limitations and assumptions
5. Submission Deadline
All materials must be submitted by Thursday, March 26, 2026, 12:00 PM (Noon). Late submissions will not be accepted.
6. Required Deliverables
Each team must submit the following:
A. Slide Deck (Maximum 12 Slides)
· Title Slide: Team name, team members, majors, and selected challenge.
· Problem Statement: Clear and concise definition of the problem being addressed.
· Stakeholders: Identification of key users, beneficiaries, and implementing entities.
· Current Gaps: Explanation of existing shortcomings or unmet needs.
· Proposed Solution: High-level overview of the solution concept.
· Ideal End-State Vision: Description of what a fully realized, comprehensive version of the solution would look like.
· Scope of Work: Clarification of which component or layer of the ideal solution the team focused on.
· Solution Maturity Level: Current stage of development (e.g., concept, mockup, clickable prototype, functional proof-of-concept, working prototype, production-ready).
· AI Integration: Identification of the AI category (1, 2, or 3) and explanation of how AI is meaningfully incorporated.
· Technical Architecture / Workflow: System diagram, data flow, or process structure.
· Feasibility & Next Steps: Key requirements and actions needed to move toward full implementation.
· Conclusion: Summary of the solution’s value and the immediate next logical step.
B. Demonstration Prototype (Required)
Teams must submit one of the following:
· Working prototype (web app, tool, model, dashboard)
· Functional proof-of-concept
· Clickable wireframe (e.g., Figma) with system logic explanation
· Technical architecture with validated workflow · 3–5 minute recorded demo video
If a live system cannot be hosted, a recorded demonstration is required.
C. AI Disclosure Statement
Briefly document:
· AI tools, models, or platforms used
· Development tools (if AI-assisted)
· Data sources
· Assumptions and constraints
This program is made possible in part by the Lenahan Family Award - FY25. Program supporters include faculty and staff of the Cotsakos College of Business, the Center for Socially Responsible Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Global Business and Finance Institute, Russ Berrie Institute for Professional Sales, and William Paterson University Institutional Advancement.
§ Title Slide: Team name, team members, majors, and selected challenge.
§ Problem Statement: Clear and concise definition of the problem being addressed.
§ Stakeholders: Identification of key users, beneficiaries, and implementing entities.
§ Current Gaps: Explanation of existing shortcomings or unmet needs.
§ Proposed Solution: High-level overview of the solution concept.
§ Ideal End-State Vision: Description of what a fully realized, comprehensive version of the solution would look like.
§ Scope of Work: Clarification of which component or layer of the ideal solution the team focused on.
§ Solution Maturity Level: Current stage of development (e.g., concept, mockup, clickable prototype, functional proof-of-concept, working prototype, production-ready).
§ AI Integration: Identification of the AI category (1, 2, or 3) and explanation of how AI is meaningfully incorporated.
§ Technical Architecture / Workflow: System diagram, data flow, or process structure.
§ Feasibility & Next Steps: Key requirements and actions needed to move toward full implementation.
§ Conclusion: Summary of the solution’s value and the immediate next logical step.
