Understanding Data For AI and Machine Learning Hackathons

Understanding Data for AI & Machine Learning Hackathons is going to be a hands-on, beginner-friendly workshop designed to help students build a strong foundation in working with real-world data. In this session, participants will learn how raw data is collected, cleaned, explored and transformed into AI-ready datasets. Using Python, Pandas, and NumPy we’ll walk through practical techniques for data cleaning, preprocessing, and exploratory data analysis, then bring data to life through meaningful visualizations. The workshop is highly practical and interactive, featuring a group exercise inspired by real hackathon challenges where participants will collaborate, analyze data, and present insights—just like in an actual AI competition. Whether you’re new to data or preparing for your next Zindi or AI hackathon this workshop will equip you with the essential data skills needed before building machine learning models.