Guernsey’s first island-wide AI Sprint begins today with more than 1,000 people signed up, reaching the target its organisers set for opening day.
The figure counts individual people and is roughly 1 in 32 of the island’s working population. Between them, they have made more than 2,600 bookings, with the average person booking more than two sessions. In early September, when bookings first passed 1,000, fewer than 300 people had signed up. That number has more than tripled in the weeks since, and bookings have more than doubled.
The Sprint, known as All-In, runs for six weeks until 12 November and is led by Guernsey’s G8 industry bodies. It brings together more than 50 free talks, workshops, clinics and hackathons, delivered by over 80 organisations. It is open to everyone, from complete beginners to tech enthusiasts, and to people at every level across a wide range of industries.
Sessions are grouped into five focus areas. Foundation Learning offers introductory sessions for beginners, with no background or prior experience needed. AI Governance, Risk & Compliance covers AI policy, risk management and regulator expectations for regulated businesses. Leadership & Business Change is for boards and senior leaders working through AI strategy, ROI, risk appetite and workforce impact. Build It! brings hands-on sessions, hackathons and showcases focused on practical implementation. Education looks at AI in the classroom and at home, for teachers, parents and students.
The first sessions take place today, including the launch of the G Prize, an online hackathon with a £5,000 prize, inviting solutions to three real challenges facing the island. Shortlisted entrants will pitch to a judging panel, and the winner will be announced at the Guernsey Chamber of Commerce Gala Dinner on 12 November. Sponsors, speakers and partners marked the start of the Sprint last night at a launch evening at Salt.
Alice Gill, Executive Director of the Guernsey Chamber of Commerce, on behalf of the G8, said: “We set ourselves a target of 1,000 people by opening day, and for an island our size that felt very ambitious. To reach it, with the average person booking more than two sessions, tells us that this meets a very real need. To have delivered this in just a few months is a credit to every organisation that has given its time, expertise and venues to make it happen.”
Katie Inder (pictured), Programme Manager for the AI Sprint and founder of Concise, said: “I work with data every day, so I always look at what sits behind a headline number. What stands out here is the pace. In the last three weeks, the number of people signed up has more than tripled. We’re very proud of the work we’ve done to make this happen in a relatively short timeframe. There is still space on many sessions, so if you have been meaning to book, there is plenty of time to join us.”dig
