An upcoming event at Palo Alto, California, U.S.A.-based Stanford University will challenge young engineers to use AI to optimize sustainable seafood catch for fishing companies without losing revenue.
AI Commerce Inc., an AI-enabled e-commerce company also based in Palo Alto, has announced that it is putting on the second annual Sushi Hackathon on 3 October at the Stanford Alumni Center.
The event includes 60 engineers chosen from a pool of over 1,500 applications.
"[We are] proud to work with up and coming coders on building GenAI solutions to create a future where technology helps us fish responsibly, reduce waste, and ensure that every premium catch is used to its fullest potential," AI Commerce Executive Officer Anthony Leung said. "By combining ecological data, machine learning, and quality assessment, the apps that participants in the Sushi Hackathon develop can help transform fishing into a precision science – preserving ocean health while supporting the livelihoods that depend on it."
In a press release about the event, AI Commerce said that it will challenge participants to “create GenAI solutions to help locate, classify, and prioritize premium fish for optimal quality and taste and answer these three questions: Where can fish be caught? What kind of fish has been caught? Is the fish of high quality and great taste?”
The series’ first event brought together young coders – including students from Stanford and the University of California at Berkeley, as well as engineers from Google and Meta among other companies – to participate in what AI Commerce called a “48-hour generative AI sprint.”
Last year’s event featured a USD 30,000 (EUR 25,875) prize pool, a keynote talk by Taiwanese ambassador and software innovator Audrey Tang, and a sushi dinner presented by leading chefs.
AI Commerce said that the 2025 event will be much bigger than its inaugural effort and will focus on real world issues facing the seafood sector, including how AI can be used to improve supply chain resilience and optimize delivery options for seafood companies. The event will again feature a sushi meal, this time crafted by chef Yuichi Arai. Tang, who is now Taiwan’s first ever minister of digital affairs, will also again deliver the keynote.
