MeldHack 2024: Generative AI

hosted by South Dakota Mines AppDev Club and supported by Property Meld

The South Dakota Mines Application Development (AppDev) Club spearheaded an exhilarating one-day hackathon generously supported by Property Meld. This event turned the spotlight on the burgeoning field of generative AI, offering participants a platform to unleash their creativity and technical prowess in developing applications using Large Language Models (LLMs) and diffusion models.

MeldHack 2024 presented a unique challenge: to explore and harness the potential of generative AI by developing a mini-app. This app could utilize LLMs, diffusion models, or a combination, encouraging participants to venture into unexplored territories in text, imagery, or both. The emphasis was on innovation, user experience, originality, and practicality, focusing on developing original solutions that cater to real-world challenges or provide unique entertainment experiences.

Congratulations to winners Jordan Dooley, Oliver Schwab, and Drew Norby! Their “Extenders” extension for Visual Studio Code, integrating the OpenAI API, was a masterclass in innovation, especially in such a short timeframe.

The event was further enriched by guest speakers from Property Meld, who shared their insights and experiences, adding depth and perspective to the discussions about the future of AI.

• Martin Graham
• Austin Wentz
• Chami Senarath