We are excited to announce the upcoming SAAI 2025 – Hackathon on Art and AI, a three-day symposium and hackathon open to anyone. This unique event merges art, coding, design, and artificial intelligence, providing artists, coders, and AI enthusiasts with a platform to explore the limitless potential of AI-driven creativity.
What is SAAI?
SAAI Factory is a platform dedicated to decentralized AI-driven artistic collaboration. Launched in 2020 by artist Christoph Faulhaber and KAUST faculty Professor Mohamed Elhoseiny, SAAI explores the intersection of artificial intelligence and artistic production. In 2021, it hosted an international hackathon, bringing together artists, coders, designers, and tech creatives to experiment with AI as a tool for artistic practice. The results have been showcased in exhibitions worldwide, including Riyadh (Alfaisal University), Germany (Woods Art Institute), Malta (Spazju Kreattiv), Galerie Obrist (Essen), and Dubai (The Foundry).
Special Track: SAAI for Kids—AI Art Hackathon
As part of this year’s edition, SAAI 3 introduces a dedicated track for talented young minds (ages 13–18) to explore Generative AI in art and compete in the AI Art Hackathon.
This exciting new initiative, powered by Medvation, invites participants to unlock the future of AI-driven creativity through a series of online workshops and hands-on experiences. Young innovators will learn to harness AI for artistic expression across three key areas:
Framed Art – AI-assisted digital and physical artwork creation
Music Composition: AI-generated soundscapes and compositions
Contextual AI-Generated Art: Interactive and immersive AI-powered artistic experiences
Event details
Dates: April 12–14, 2025
Venue: Buildings 20, Hybrid
Format: Free, in-person, and live-streamed
Target Audience: Students and kids
Meet the Experts
This event will feature renowned mentors and speakers, including:
- Luba Elliot, AI art curator
- Christoph Faulhaber artist and Filmmaker, Founder of SAAI Factory
- David Keyes, Professor at KAUST, Director of the Extreme Computing Research Center
- David Pugh, Director of SDAIA-KAUST Center of Excellence in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
- Basel Al-Naffouri, Professor at KAUST
- Mohamed Elhoseiny, Professor at KAUST, co-founder of SAAI
- Sakhaa Alsaedi, CEO of Medvation
Why attend?
Empowering Young Innovators: Equip students with future-ready skills in AI and digital arts.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Connect with peers and mentors in art, coding, design, and technology.
Global Exposure & Mentorship: Work alongside industry experts and gain opportunities for international recognition.
Event highlights
Workshops & Talks: Hands-on learning with leading AI and art experts.
Hackathon: Teams will design and build AI-powered art installations.
Project Showcase: Top teams will receive post-event support and opportunities for global exhibitions.
How to get involved
- Website: SAAI (+Kids) Hackathon Website
- Registration Form
- Workshop Info: SAAI (+Kids) Intro & Workshops
Key dates
- Online workshop sessions: April 6–10, 2025
- In-person hackathon (for everyone): April 11–14, 2025
Agenda:
Day 1: April 12, 2025
| 8:30 a.m.-9:00 a.m. | Registration (For students only) | Auditorium, Building 20 |
| 9:02 – 9:15 a.m. | Introduction | |
| 9:20 – 10:20 a.m. | Talk: Christopher Faulhaber | |
| 10:20–11:05 a.m. | Talk: Prof. Mohamed Elhoseiny | |
| 11:05 – 11:20 a.m | Coffee Break | |
| 8:30 a.m.-9:00 a.m. | End of the morning session | |
| 11:40 – 1:30 p.m. | Lunch Break | |
| 1:35 – 2:00 p.m | Hackathon Kickoff: Orientation | Conference Hall, Level 3, Building 19 |
| 2:00 – 2:30 p.m. | Workshop: Design Thinking | |
| 2:30 – 5:00 p.m. | Hackathon |
Day 2: April 13, 2025
| 9:00 – 9:10 a.m. | Introduction | Auditorium, Building 20 |
| 9:10 – 10:00 a.m. | Talk: Prof. David Keyes | |
| 10:00–10:50 a.m. | Talk: Sakha Alsaedi | |
| 10:55 – 11:00 a.m. | Talk: Prof. David Keyes | |
| 11:00-11:20 a.m. | Coffee Break | |
| 11:20–12:10 p.m. | Talk: Luba Elliott | |
| 12:10–1:30 p.m. | Lunch Break | |
| 1:35 – 2:25 p.m. | Workshop: How to pitch an idea? | Conference Hall, Level 3, Building 19 |
| 2:25–5:00 p.m. | Hackathon |
Day 3: April 14, 2025
| 9:00 – 9:10 a.m. | Introduction | Auditorium, Building 20 |
| 9:10 – 10:00 a.m. | Talk: Prof. David Pugh | |
| 10:05-10:55 a.m. | Talk: Prof. Basel Al-Naffouri | |
| 11:00-11:30 a.m. | Projects Submission (online) | |
| 12:00-1:00 p.m. | Judging & Showcases | |
| 1:00 – 1:20 p.m. | Coffee Break | |
| Award announcement and closing ceremony | ||
| 1:20 – 1:21 p.m. | Video | |
| 1:21- 1:30 p.m. | Opening remarks | |
| 1:21-1:30 p.m. | Speech | |
| 1:30-1:50 p.m. | Acknowledgment | |
| 2:20–2:40 p.m. | Award announcement & closing | |
| 2:45 p.m. | Group photo | |
We look forward to your participation in this inspiring journey. For inquiries regarding communications, sponsorships, or volunteer opportunities, please contact:
Kilichbek Haydarov | Email: kilichbek.haydarov@kaust.edu.sa
Email: info@medvation.net