Collibra – A Data Intelligence Company
As a leading data intelligence company Collibra has been at the forefront of anticipating the broad adoption of AI. With a team dedicated to data science and machine learning, Collibra recognised the potential of generative AI technologies like Gemini (previously called Bard). This shift suddenly made AI accessible to everyone, irrespective of their level of data science expertise.
The Challenge
The Collibrians working on Collibra’s AI strategy understood that innovative ideas were plentiful throughout the organisation, and they aimed to use this collective intelligence quickly. The challenge was activating all Collibrians, regardless of their role, to contribute to the next-generation AI capabilities.
We have 3 great results from our project together, and they’re being used by our customers right now.
The Solution and Methodology: A Generative AI Hackathon
To address the challenge, they involved Devoteam G Cloud to organise a hackathon, an effective way to foster innovation. Collibrians were divided into multiple teams. Each team consisted of both technical as well as business profiles. Assisted by Devoteam’s data strategy team, they then chose a use case to tackle based on the challenges their customers experience every day.
Because of an enablement track that preceded the hackathon, the technical teams could immediately get to work. Using Generative AI on Vertex AI, they were able to implement solution prototypes in only 48 hours. That allowed them to showcase value to the other Collibrians and decide on which features to focus on for their next release.
We have a lot of work still to do with Devoteam G Cloud. We have a 1000 ideas blooming that will need to be put in production.
The Result: An Inclusive Hackathon Experience
The hackathon exceeded expectations. The event, from idea to prototype, took only 48 hours. Collibrians from around the world participated virtually or in person.
The team acknowledged the need to review AI-generated content, adopting a mindset of treating AI as “Ask an Intern” – expecting good work but planning to review before use. The hackathon not only resulted in winning prototypes and prices but also had broader impacts:
- Over 100 Collibrians used their generative AI skills, allowing them to critically evaluate AI technologies and solve real challenges
- Collaboration across teams and functions was strengthened, fostering a sense of collective impact.
- The hackathon yielded 19 almost production-ready prototypes and numerous ideas for using generative AI within Collibra’s organisation and product portfolio.
- Three new automation features were added to Collibra’s Data Intelligence Platform. These ideas were generated during the Gen AI Hackathon.
Generative AI in the Future
The hackathon experience showcased Collibra that the possibilities of generative AI are endless. The key takeaway: using the true potential of AI requires combining it with the right data, reinforcing the importance of data governance in the AI landscape.
