A company-wide AI hackathon revealed a new reality: the biggest advantage may not be having AI tools—it may be teaching an entire workforce how to use them.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
SharkNinja CEO Mark Barrocas became concerned that AI knowledge was spreading unevenly throughout the company. While some employees were discovering breakthrough uses for AI, others had little exposure to its potential.
One example stood out. A new employee known for their AI expertise was asked to help a team struggling with a project-tracking challenge. Within about 90 minutes, the employee built an AI-powered solution that streamlined the process and improved accountability across the team.
Rather than allowing AI knowledge to remain concentrated among a small group of enthusiasts, Barrocas decided to “shock the system.”
The company paused normal operations and launched a four-day AI hackathon called “Jailbreak,” bringing together employees from across departments to explore how artificial intelligence could improve products, workflows, marketing, social media engagement, and business operations.
The event generated approximately 400 AI-related projects and involved SharkNinja’s workforce of roughly 4,000 employees.
WHY IT MATTERS
Many organizations are investing heavily in AI software, but SharkNinja is making a different bet.
The company believes workforce adoption may be just as important as technology adoption.
AI tools are becoming widely available. The bigger challenge is ensuring employees understand how to apply them effectively in their daily work.
By involving the entire workforce, SharkNinja is attempting to prevent a future where only a small percentage of employees benefit from AI while everyone else falls behind.
The move reflects a growing realization that AI literacy could become a competitive advantage.
WHO BENEFITS
SharkNinja Employees — Gain hands-on experience with AI tools and practical applications that may increase productivity and career value.
SharkNinja — Creates a broader culture of innovation while uncovering new efficiencies and business opportunities.
Consumers — May benefit from faster product development, improved customer experiences, and more innovative products.
AI Vendors — Greater employee adoption often leads to increased usage of AI platforms and services.
WHO LOSES
Organizations Slow To Adopt AI Training — Risk falling behind competitors that are developing AI-capable workforces.
Workers Who Ignore AI Skills — May find themselves less competitive as AI becomes integrated into more job functions.
Traditional Training Models — Structured, top-down training programs may struggle to keep pace with hands-on experimentation and rapid AI learning.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
More companies are likely to move beyond AI pilot programs and focus on workforce-wide adoption.
Expect to see additional AI boot camps, hackathons, internal training programs, and company-wide initiatives designed to increase AI literacy across entire organizations.
The next phase of AI competition may not be determined by which company has access to the best tools.
It may be determined by which company can help the most employees use those tools effectively.