Top 3 in Gamuda AI Academy!

By God’s mercy, we actually won! We finished 3rd out of 8 teams in the Gamuda AI Academy, and I am incredibly proud of what our team achieved. The competition was intense, but every hour we spent preparing made the result feel even more rewarding.

Throughout the cohort, we practiced constantly. Our teammates can probably confirm how many times we stood in front of each other, rehearsing the script until the delivery felt natural and the flow finally clicked.

We even went the extra mile and met at one of our teammate Raina’s house on the weekend to rehearse our presentation one last time. We wanted to make sure every part of the demo was as polished as possible.

On the big day, everyone suited up and stayed focused. We managed to pitch AIris within the 10-minute time frame given to us, and that alone already felt like a victory.

One of my personal goals in events like this is to answer at least one question from the judges. I know how difficult it is to think on the spot, so that was a goal I was genuinely nervous about. Did I manage to do it? Yes. Did I cook? Maybe. But more importantly, I overcame the fear of being asked a question and answered it with confidence, and that meant a lot to me.

And the result? We stood on the podium and received our award from John Stefan, the Assistant Manager of Gamuda AI Academy. In that moment, all the hard work, breakdowns, practice sessions, stress, anxiety, fear, excitement, and joy felt worth it.

Heartfelt message to everyone in the academy

But in the end, I think the most beautiful part of the Gamuda AI Academy was the people I met, especially during Cohort 5. Everyone brought a different story, a different perspective, and a different strength to the academy, and I learned so much from being around such experienced people.

I also want to express my deepest gratitude to the trainers, John Stefan, Isaac Ebi, Lee Chee Tat, Muhammad Syazwan, and Mohamed Syafiq, for their teaching, guidance, support, and encouragement throughout the academy. Some of them even got their hands dirty by helping us debug our code and by giving feedback on our presentation. I am truly grateful for their help, and I hope to learn more from them in the future.

And to my fellow teammates, I am so grateful to have been part of Team 1. In just three months, we created so many memories together, and I will always carry that with me. I am praying for each and every one of you to achieve your dreams and goals in the future.