HackaCon 2026: The Conversation Hackathon

HackaCon 2026 is a remote, international generative AI hackathon challenging entrants to create a natural-sounding synthetic conversation by 30 September 2026. Run by Lancaster University / FACTOR, the competition focuses on the intersection of generative AI, audio and synthetic conversation. Rather than presenting a broad, open-ended technology brief, HackaCon gives participants a clear creative and technical goal: produce an AI-generated conversation that sounds natural. ## The challenge Participants will develop a synthetic conversation as their competition entry. The brief creates room to explore how AI-generated speech and dialogue can feel more convincing, coherent and human-like, bringing together considerations such as conversational flow, audio and generative AI. HackaCon is fully remote, so individuals and teams can take part from anywhere in the world. The international format makes it accessible to entrants across different locations and time zones, without requiring travel to a physical venue. Key details include: - Format: Remote hackathon and competition - Focus: Generative AI, audio and synthetic conversation - Deadline: 30 September 2026 - Prize pool: Worth more than £4,000 - Eligibility: Individuals and teams worldwide ## Who can enter? The competition is open to both solo entrants and teams. The person submitting the entry must be 18 or older, although contributors under 18 may participate as part of a team when an adult makes the submission. No specific experience level or required technology stack is stated on the listing. The focused brief will be particularly relevant to AI builders, audio creators, conversational interface designers, developers and multidisciplinary teams interested in experimenting with synthetic dialogue. Entrants should review the official terms and conditions before preparing their submission, especially the eligibility and entry requirements. With a tightly defined conversational AI challenge, worldwide participation and a prize pool exceeding £4,000, HackaCon offers a practical opportunity to test ideas in one of generative AI’s most demanding areas: making machine-generated interaction sound natural. Apply for HackaCon 2026