Sea Limited, the tech company behind Shopee, is teaming up with OpenAI to give Malaysia’s artificial intelligence talent pool a massive boost.
They are hosting a one-day Sea x OpenAI Regional Codex Hackathon Series, in Kuala Lumpur on 5 December 2026 to help local developers build real-world AI tools that actually fix everyday problems, according to their press release. Around 40 teams made up of tech builders, students, startups and coders will come together under the theme Solving Unmet Needs with AI.
The top three winners will receive the following awards:
First place: USD30,000 (~RM122,598) in OpenAI API credits
Second place: USD15,000 (~RM61,299) in OpenAI API credits
Third place: USD5,000 (~RM20,433) in OpenAI API credits
All members of the top five teams will also receive one year of ChatGPT Pro.
Participants will get hands-on experience with OpenAI’s Codex and top-tier models like GPT-6 Astra, turning fresh ideas into working software with direct support from tech experts. This event aligned with Malaysia’s bigger push to become a leading AI Nation by 2030, putting heavy focus on growing local expertise and applying new technology responsibly.
David Chen, Sea co-founder and Shopee chief product officer, reckons that adopting AI should always be about practical use rather than just showing off tech features. He mentioned that AI delivers the most value when it has a clear purpose and is built around how people actually live and work, adding that blending innovation with sound judgment is key as the country’s tech scene grows.
OpenAI’s head of AI success engineering for Asia Pacific, Jon Sugihara, highlighted that Malaysian developers are in a prime position to spot unique local challenges that AI can solve. He noted that the event gives coders a chance to build real skills that extend far beyond the hackathon itself.
Registrations are now open and will close on Friday, 6 November 2026. For more information
and registration details, you can visit https://forms.gle/Cus4XtpX5CWMhDZj7.