Hackathons hosted across six cities are expected to kick off a broader effort to translate these skills and expand the pool of Codex-badged professionals
BENGALURU, July 30, 2026 – Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH), a leading AI Builder and technology services provider, announced that it hosted its first-ever global Codex Hackathon with OpenAI. Held under the theme “Engineering the Frontier,” the hackathon spanned six cities in India — Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, Coimbatore and Kochi — bringing together 10,000 company associates to learn, experiment and build solutions using OpenAI Codex, one of the industry’s most advanced AI coding platforms.
Earlier this year, Cognizant was recognized by OpenAI for its AI Builder capabilities and was selected alongside other top global systems integrators (GSIs) to help scale Codex’s impact across enterprise clients worldwide. The OpenAI Codex Hackathon reflects Cognizant’s broader vision of creating a strong AI Builder Community — one where learning is collaborative, experimentation is encouraged and innovation is driven by practical outcomes. Participants work with peers, engage with mentors, and explore how AI-powered development can solve real business challenges.
“Cognizant is bringing Codex to its workforce at significant scale, giving 10,000 associates across India the opportunity to learn, experiment and build with frontier AI,” said Colleen Kapase, Vice President of Strategic Global Partnerships and Ecosystems at OpenAI. “This hackathon is an important first step in Cognizant’s ambition to translate those skills into practical solutions for enterprise customers.”
“For us as an AI Builder, combining human judgment with AI capability is key to closing the gap between AI and enterprise results,” said Rajesh Varrier, President – Global Operations and Chairman & Managing Director, Cognizant India. “Hosting a global Codex Hackathon, right here in India, is a proud moment for us. It’s an opportunity for our associates to build real fluency with frontier tools like Codex and develop custom AI solutions that deliver value.”
The hackathon gave participants the opportunity to experience Codex through hands-on problem solving; access exclusive OpenAI masterclasses and curated learning resources; collaborate with AI enthusiasts, engineers and innovators across Cognizant; showcase ideas and solutions to business and technology leaders; and connect with Cognizant’s growing AI Builder community. The company plans to organize more instances of this hackathon, with a goal of taking overall participation to over 50,000 associates in the coming months.
As an AI builder, Cognizant is fostering a culture of AI-driven innovation across the organization. Last year, the company set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORD™ for the largest online GenAI hackathon with its global Vibe Coding Week, where associates used leading vibe coding tools to produce more than 30,000 prototypes.
