GS Works with Generative AI... 'GS Group Hackathon 2024' Opens

Innovation Idea Contest in Silicon Valley Style on the Morning of the 3rd at InterContinental COEX Seoul

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GS Group held the 'GS Group Hackathon,' an innovation idea competition inspired by Silicon Valley. The event aimed to apply generative AI not only in the IT department but also in general field operations to streamline work processes and improve customer experience.

GS Group hosted the 'GS Group Hackathon 2024' over two days starting on the 3rd at the InterContinental COEX Seoul in Samseong-dong, with about 400 employees attending. A hackathon is a competition combining hacking and marathon, where planners, developers, designers, and other professionals form teams to develop services matching a theme within a limited time.

Now in its third year, the 2024 GS Group Hackathon carried the theme 'PLAI with GenAI,' meaning to enjoyably utilize generative AI in fieldwork. The event, organized by 52g, GS Group’s open innovation and innovation organization, focused on improving work efficiency and customer experience and proposing new business ideas using generative AI tools. At the opening ceremony, Lee Juhwan, CEO of SWIT, an online collaboration tool gaining attention as a prospective unicorn starting from Silicon Valley, spoke about collaboration and innovation through digital tools.

Many GS Group employees voluntarily applied online to participate in this competition. Out of approximately 600 employees from 19 affiliates including GS Caltex, GS Retail, and GS Construction who applied, 351 employees in 83 teams were selected considering the feasibility of proposed ideas and affiliate distribution. Compared to last year’s 300 employees in 60 teams, the event is growing in scale and becoming an annual innovation event for GS Group.

Participants formed teams of 3 to 5 members by company or created joint teams by gathering individual applicants from multiple companies. All teams were required to use generative AI such as ChatGPT. Over about two weeks, they learned to use generative AI tools through pre-orientation and studied design thinking methodologies to concretize their ideas. Additionally, about 30 digital innovation experts from 52g2, including UX designers, IT developers, and design thinking coaches, served as mentors to assist teams in refining their ideas during the competition.

During the competition, each team examined phenomena discovered in their business and work sites from various perspectives to define problems, then used digital tools to develop services or business models that solve these problems, advancing them into prototypes. The significance lies in executing the entire process?from problem definition to solution proposal and actual service model implementation?intensively and rapidly over 30 hours across one night and two days, rather than merely presenting ideas.

At the competition venue, numerous ideas emerged to improve work process efficiency by integrating AI and enhance customer experiences at convenience stores, gas stations, construction sites, and other customer touchpoints. Teams selected after the hackathon will receive active support from the company to realize their ideas with the help of specialized organizations.

Since the beginning of this year, GS Group has focused on advancing DX (Digital Transformation) activities centered on business sites. Employees in the field are encouraged to discover tasks independently and grow with the help of digital experts, gradually transforming work methods based on AI. In particular, the company supports all employees in becoming familiar with generative AI tools to gain experience in innovating work and business. This approach is based on the belief that to change the corporate culture, each employee in the field must accumulate experience improving their work and business using digital technology and AI.

GS Chairman Huh Tae-soo emphasized, "With the advent of generative AI, field employees can now directly drive digital innovation," adding, "Let all employees across the group become proficient in generative AI tools and develop AI capabilities."