Boulder, CO – The eighth edition of Call for Code came back this year as a global initiative for developers to create AI-enabled solutions for humanitarian and sustainability challenges. The David Clark Cause partnered with IBM, the United Nations Human Rights, and the Linux Foundation to dedicate the 2025 Call for Code Worldwide Challenge to exploring the social and environmental impact of AI.
Since 2018, Call for Code has mobilized millions of developers who have made technological contributions to critical issues on the world stage. This year a program with a number of hackathons has been launched, each of which will address a specific United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). The software developers and problem solvers are going to compete for creating proof-of-concept AI solutions using IBM’s watsonx AI and cloud technologies.
“Call for Code is a unique global tech initiative that inspires and empowers developers and problem-solvers from around the world to use their talent to innovate for social good,” said David Clark, Founder and CEO of Call for Code. “I am immensely proud that Call for Code, alongside its founding partner IBM, and with UN Human Rights, has helped ensure that technology serves as a catalyst for sustainability, climate and humanitarian action.”
On March 20, 2025, the first hackathon will commence with an emphasis on SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, in view of UN World Water Day (March 22). The participants will build AI virtual agents with watsonx.ai that will help tackle water access and sanitation issues. Later in the year, another hackathon will take place focused on SDG 13: Climate Action, in alignment with the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit organized by UN Human Rights and the University of Oxford.
“From the very beginning, UN Human Rights has been honored to support Call for Code, recognizing that technology—when grounded in human rights—can be a powerful force for good,” said Ansar Mahfoudh, head of the Innovation and Analytics Hub at UN Human Rights. “Since helping launch this groundbreaking initiative almost a decade ago, we have supported those projects that champion innovation that serves humanity. We remain committed to ensuring Call for Code grows from strength to strength, by drawing on a community of socially-minded coders who place humans at the centre of tech and innovation solutions.”
Each winning hackathon team will win $5,000 USD and passes to IBM TechXchange Conference 2025 in Orlando. Meanwhile, the top-performing teams will compete for the Call for Code Global Challenge Grand Prize of $50,000 USD and possibly a open-source project support from the Linux Foundation.
“Call for Code is a unique opportunity to get hands-on with AI, build new skills, network with a community of like-minded problem solvers, and create solutions,” said Dinesh Nirmal, IBM Senior Vice President, IBM Software. “This year, there’s no-cost access to industry leading, enterprise-grade IBM software like watsonx.ai for participants. I am excited to see what teams build to make a positive difference.”
The closing date for registration for the first hackathon is set for March 18, 2025. Details of the subsequent hackathons will be announced via the Call for Code website through the year.
Source: https://newsroom.ibm.com/2025-03-05-2025-call-for-code-engages-developers-to-build-ai-solutions-that-address-social-and-humanitarian-issues
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