Medina Hackathon: 150,000 Riyals to test urban forecasting algorithms under the weight of ethics
The Medina Development Authority, in partnership with the Kaust Academy at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, is moving smart city testing toward real application with the launch of the Ethical AI Hackathon of Medina. The initiative, which launches under the umbrella of Al-Munawara Innovates as the innovative arm of the Al-Munawara program, aims to attract developers, researchers and start-ups from around the world to present machine-learning models that support decision-making and establish Medina as a global human-centric innovation hub.
The competition’s philosophy is based on Islamic ethical principles and responsible AI practices; success is not measured solely by computational efficiency, but requires judging criteria that protect privacy, achieve fairness, avoid algorithmic bias, ensure transparency, and prevent harm. The contest also commits to respecting human dignity, enhancing societal trust, and ensuring that solutions are operationally viable for direct use in smart city management.The decisive criterion lies in how well the algorithm protects individuals’ rights and avoids bias before it is deployed.
The challenge journey is designed in two integrated stages. The first begins as a global remote contest on the Kaggle platform and continues until the end of November, with a final registration deadline on 14 November 2026. Participants work on a technical challenge linked to Medina’s priorities by developing predictive machine-learning models. The Kaust Academy provides academic oversight and operational execution, covering platform preparation, dataset assembly, automated evaluation, and technical guidance, while the Development Authority sets strategic directions, co-designs the challenge, and supplies logistical support.
The first stage results in only eight teams qualifying for the second stage, a three-day in-person hackathon in Medina that allows participants to present their solutions to technical experts. Organisers have earmarked total cash prizes of 150,000 riyals for the winners, plus a unique opportunity to continue developing projects in partnership with the smart city to transform urban data into decision-support predictions and ready-to-implement solutions.Access to municipal dashboards is the most valuable operational benefit that gives winning teams a value beyond the monetary prize.
What actually changes for developers and technical staff in the Gulf, Egypt and the region? This challenge forces a shift in the nature of skills required in the AI market; reliance on generic APIs declines in favour of developers who can train and test predictive models that adhere to governance frameworks and data protection. Placing algorithms under neutral automated evaluation gives software efficiency its true weight, proving that compliance with privacy and fairness controls is now a prerequisite for winning urban and smart-infrastructure projects in the region.
We see this experiment as a transition of technical competitions from a showcase framework to an operational path that links advanced academic supervision with governmental and municipal needs. The initiative sets a practical standard that tests models based on their public benefit, opening the door to building responsible software that starts from local community values and meets the aspirations of future cities.