Sea x OpenAI Regional Codex Hackathon Series arrives in Kuala Lumpur, calling on local talent to build practical AI solutions
- Regional hackathon challenges developers to turn unmet needs into practical AI solutions
- Top teams to receive up to US$30,000 in API credits to develop their projects beyond the event
The Sea x OpenAI Regional Codex Hackathon Series is coming to Kuala Lumpur on 5 December 2026, bringing together developers, students, startups and technology builders to explore what they can build with OpenAI’s Codex.
Held under the theme “Solving Unmet Needs with AI”, the one-day hackathon will challenge teams of three to four participants to turn real-world problems into practical AI-powered solutions using OpenAI’s Codex. With guidance from Sea and OpenAI experts, participants will gain hands-on experience with Codex as they bring their ideas to life, while connecting with like-minded builders to exchange ideas, share knowledge and learn from one another.
Bringing Asia Pacific’s developer communities together
The Sea x OpenAI Regional Codex Hackathon Series is part of a broader collaboration between global technology company Sea and OpenAI to support AI innovation and strengthen developer communities across Asia Pacific.
Since launching in Singapore in June 2026, the series has continued in Taiwan and will travel to Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand before coming to Malaysia. Each hackathon brings together local developers to exchange ideas, gain hands-on experience with OpenAI’s Codex, and explore how AI can address real-world challenges and meet the needs of their local communities.
“Developers play a central role in bringing AI into the real world, and Malaysia’s developer community brings a valuable understanding of local needs,” said Jon Sugihara, head of AI Success Engineering, Asia Pacific, at OpenAI. “Across the regional series, we have seen the range of ideas that can emerge when talented builders are given the tools, guidance and space to experiment. Through our partnership with Sea, we want to help participants use Codex and our latest frontier models, like GPT-6 Astra, to turn those ideas into practical solutions and build the skills and confidence to keep developing them beyond the hackathon.”
Turning real-world challenges into AI-powered solutions
At the heart of the hackathon is a simple challenge: identify an unmet need and explore how AI can help address it. Participants will be encouraged to draw on their own experiences and understanding of everyday challenges, whether improving how businesses operate, making services more accessible or helping people work and live more efficiently.
Teams can develop their projects across one or more of the following three tracks:
- Autonomous and Adaptive AI
- AI-Native Products and Operations
- Deep Domain AI
Beyond technical development, teams will also be encouraged to consider how their solutions could work in practice, including their reliability, safety and potential impact on users.
Supporting Malaysia’s AI ambitions through practical experience
As Malaysia works towards its ambition of becoming an AI nation by 2030, developing local talent and encouraging the responsible adoption of AI remain important priorities.
The country’s National AI Action Plan 2026–2030 sets out its direction for AI development, adoption and governance, while its AI Talent Roadmap aims to develop 200,000 AI-skilled workers by 2030.
As AI becomes more accessible, hands-on experience will play an important role in helping people develop the skills and practical understanding to use these technologies effectively. Equally important is the ability to identify where AI can make a meaningful difference.
Malaysia’s developer community brings valuable perspectives to this effort. Its understanding of local industries, business challenges and consumer needs can help inform the application of AI to address everyday problems.
“AI creates the most value when it is applied with purpose and shaped by a clear understanding of how people live and work,” said David Chen, co-founder of Sea and chief product officer at Shopee. “As the technology becomes more accessible, the focus should shift from what AI can do to how it can be used responsibly in everyday work. Combining innovation with practical judgement will be important as Malaysia’s AI ecosystem continues to develop.”
The Malaysia edition will provide a practical setting for participants to put these principles into action, moving from identifying a problem to exploring, building and refining a potential solution with AI.
Building beyond the hackathon
The hackathon offers participants an opportunity to develop ideas they can continue exploring beyond the event. To support this, the top three teams will receive OpenAI API credits to further develop their projects. The first-place team will receive
US$30,000 (RM123,000) in credits, followed by US$15,000 (RM61,000) for second place and US$5,000 (RM20,000) for third place. All members of the top five teams will also receive one year of ChatGPT Pro to support further learning and experimentation.
Ready to build? Applications close on 6 November
The Malaysian edition of the Sea x OpenAI Regional Codex Hackathon Series will take place on Saturday, 5 December 2026, from 8am to 9pm at Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur.
Whether you are a student exploring AI development, an experienced developer looking to experiment with new tools, or a startup builder with an idea worth testing, the hackathon offers an opportunity to learn, collaborate and put your skills into practice.
Gather your team and apply for the Sea x OpenAI Regional Codex Hackathon Series by 6 November 2026 at bit.ly/4ersSNw
Event details
- Date: Saturday, 5 December 2026
- Time: 8am to 9pm
- Venue: Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur
- Team size: Three to four participants
- Available places: Up to 40 shortlisted teams
- Application deadline: Friday, 6 November 2026