MAIN Market-listed conglomerate Chin Hin Group Bhd has successfully concluded the Chin Hin AI Hackathon 2026: From +AI to AI+ which marks a significant milestone in the group’s enterprise artificial intelligence (AI) journey and a reflection of its commitment towards developing future ready digital talent.
Launched six weeks ago with a clear objective to challenge final year university talents to solve real business problems using artificial intelligence, the hackathon brought together 150 final year students, forming 37 teams from universities across Malaysia.
Participants developed commercial ready AI prototypes using Microsoft Foundry by working on 12 real world business challenges drawn directly from Chin Hin Group’s actual operations and business cases.
Guided by the motto “AI to win. Speed decides. Boldness defines.”, the programme was designed as an immersive, hands-on experience rather than a classroom exercise.
In this regard, teams worked closely with Chin Hin Group’s business owners to co create minimal viable products (MVPs) that are practical, scalable and enterprise ready.
Each team competed across two distinct tracks:
- Productivity Challenge which is focused on improving how work gets done; and
- Business Application Challenge which is centred on building AI driven business solutions.
As the hackathon concluded, seven finalist teams advanced to the final pitching stage, presenting their MVPs and demonstrating bold thinking, rapid execution and a strong understanding of real business constraints and opportunities.
“This hackathon was purpose built to drive practical, business led outcomes. It reflects our shift from using AI as a tool to embedding it as a core capability,” commented Abel Saw who is the group chief transformation officer at Chin Hin Group.
“By tackling real business problems at speed and delivering enterprise ready solutions, these teams demonstrated the mindset required as we shift from +AI to AI+ whereby AI is embedded at the core of how we operate, decide and compete.”
Beyond innovation, the Chin Hin AI Hackathon 2026 reflects the group’s broader commitment to:
- Advancing its enterprise AI vision;
- Accelerating the transition from +AI to AI+ by embedding AI into core business processes; and
- Supporting Malaysia’s aspiration to become an AI Nation by 2030
As Chin Hin accelerates its shift from +AI to AI+, the group welcomes industry partners, technology collaborators and future talent to journey together in shaping scalable AI solutions to drive meaningful transformation across businesses and contributing to Malaysia’s progress towards becoming an AI Nation.
At 3.33pm, Chin Him Group was down 1 sen or 0.47% to RM2.15 with 152,000 shares traded, thus valuing the company at RM7.72 bil. – April 2, 2026
