Presentation of the AIML4OS Funathon

Olivier Meslin

What is the AIML4OS Funathon?

The AIML4OS funathon is a special sort of event:

  • Objective: learn and apply machine learning and IA methods in a collaborative and supportive environment;
  • It is NOT a competition;
  • Teams of participants work autonomously on step-by-step projects;
  • Organizers provide technical support over the whole event;
  • Entry point : aiml4os.github.io/funathon-general-website

What do projects consist in?

Funathon projects are end-to-end AI and ML projects demonstrating how to carry out a complex statistical task (codification, satellite imagery processing…).

  • Each project contains: data, code, complete technical configuration, detailed documentation, and exercises with hints and answers.
  • Projects are well-suited for beginners with minimal technical requirements.
  • Detailed solutions are included so that no one gets stuck.
  • After the funathon, all projects will remain available on Github.

What will you learn?

  • Discover AI and ML methods, tools and best practices;
  • Work on real-life AIML use cases relevant for official statistics.
  • Get familiar with cloud-native work environments such as SSPCloud.

Requirements

The funathon is open to anyone willing to develop skills in AI and ML.

This being said, you’ll benefit more from the funathon if you have:

  • a basic knowledge of Git (git clone, git pull, git push…);
  • a basic knowledge of Python;
  • Some experience in ML and AI is not necessary (but useful, of course!).

Schedule

The 2026 funathon will take place over two days, on May 27th and 28th, from 9:30am to 5:30pm (UTC+1/CET):

  • Welcome session (~30 min on the first day): presentation of the projects.
  • Team work on one project (or more than one!!) over two days.
  • Wrap-up session (~4:30pm on the second day): feedback and results presentation.

Note

Presenting your results is NOT compulsory — the funathon is not an exam!

The funathon will take place online:

  • Participants will work on SSPCloud: https://datalab.sspcloud.fr/;
  • A support team will provide online technical support over Zoom.

Technical organization

To participate you will need:

  • a Github account and an SSPCloud account;
  • a good internet connection and access to Zoom.

An onboarding session on May 18th will cover these requirements in detail.

How to enjoy the funathon:

  • Make a team with your colleagues.
  • Book a room for two days to work together in-person — it’s much more fun with colleagues!
  • Get water, coffee and snacks.
  • Work together, for instance two colleagues on one computer.
  • Ask for help is you are stuck!

Registration

Registration is compulsory. Participants register in teams of approximately 3 to 5 people.

Two-step process:

  • Register via the registration link (see the event webpage).
  • Organizers will confirm your registration by email around May 15th.

Important

Due to capacity constraints on SSPCloud, some teams may not be allowed to participate if the number of registrants is too high.

Onboarding session

An onboarding session will take place on Monday May 18th at 3:30pm (CET/GMT+1).

This onboarding session will explain:

  • How to create an SSPCloud account;
  • How to use SSPCloud;
  • How to work on a project.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can teams include people from different countries? Yes, but working in-person with nearby colleagues is strongly recommended.
  • Can I participate solo? Yes, but teams are more efficient and more fun.
  • Am I required to present my results? No, it is not compulsory.
  • What are the technical requirements? A Github account and an SSPCloud account. Some knowledge of Git and Python is useful but not mandatory.
  • Do I have to use SSPCloud? It is strongly recommended (technical support will only be provided on SSPCloud).
  • Can I use my own data? Yes, as long as it is open data (no confidential data is allowed on SSPCloud).

The end of the beginning

Thanks for you attention!