Two K4G cohorts joined forces to launch an AI hackathon, Code4Compassion, in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area. 2024 graduates Electric Sheep, founded by Ash Singh, joined forces with 2023 graduates OpenPaws, founded by Sam Tucker, to bring together 81 coders for an intense five-hours of AI-based innovation.
Backed by sponsorship from Mox, You?, Elicit, and Mobius, the Code4Compassion event set out to tackle 16 real-world AI challenges drawn from the social impact, food system transformation, and animal protection communities.
Opened by an address from world-renowned moral philosopher Peter Singer, the event featured rapid prototyping and intense collaboration to producing a suite of ground-breaking AI tools including:
- Automated Advocacy Calls – A voice call agent designed to mobilize grassroots campaigns and drive calls to action for animal rights.
- Vegan Education DuoLingo – An AI-powered language-learning platform dedicated to spreading awareness about plant-based lifestyles.
- AI-Powered Art Installation – An immersive experience that visualizes how animals respond to environmental change.
- Pro-Vegan Advocacy Bot – A generative AI system that crafts and disseminates mixed-media messages on Reddit to counter misinformation and anti-vegan arguments.
- Human vs. Animal Intelligence Games – A suite of interactive flash games that model comparative intelligence in different species.
- Factory Farm Animal Monitor – A drone-assisted AI system that analyzes photographic inputs to assess animal welfare in industrial farming conditions.
“This is just the beginning,” said Electric Sheep CEO Ash Singh. “The success of Code for Compassion has already set in motion plans for future editions in London, Helsinki, and beyond. With OpenPaws committing to ongoing mentorship and Electric Sheep developing an intensive bootcamp to scale these ideas, the momentum is undeniable.”
Peter Singer also said, “I hope that this work will just be the beginning of something that will happen frequently and regularly, and will spread to even more people to show how we can work most effectively for animals, how we can take into account the largest number of sentient beings, and benefit them.”
Itsi Weinstock, Bay Area-based coder and founder of CoucherCom, reflected, “The hackathon was really incredible. I haven’t been able to find this specific group of people myself, so it was amazing how Code4Compassion brought them all together. I hope more will happen soon.”
For those eager to contribute, collaborate, and innovate at the intersection of AI and animal advocacy, Code for Compassion is actively growing its community. Visit Electric Sheep or OpenPaws to get involved.