Accelerating Knowledge Management with AI at IFC

IFC × New Native — GenAI hackathon and internal deployment

Twelve internal AI solutions in 30 days from KNOWvember 2024’s eight-day hackathon with OpenAI on Azure.

IFC team members networking and discussing AI innovations

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Overview

IFC (World Bank Group) used generative AI to improve knowledge management, innovation, and operations. With New Native and OpenAI, the KNOWvember 2024 hackathon produced twelve internal solutions in about 30 days.

Case study

KNOWvember 2024

Over eight intensive days, diverse teams tackled real knowledge challenges — making information more accessible and engaging — with hands-on support from New Native.

Leadership perspective — Laura Melchor McCanlies, CIO, IFC

When we embarked on our GenAI journey, we were driven by curiosity, ambition, and belief in its potential. GenAI has sparked excitement and adoption across IFC — it’s about empowering people to think differently, solve problems creatively, and push boundaries.

Laura Melchor McCanlies, CIO, IFC

Seventy-nine participants from all regions formed twelve teams for IFC’s AI hackathon on real-world challenges.

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Goals

  • Simplify complex content into usable formats

  • Improve relevance and access to internal knowledge

  • Increase engagement with interactive, gamified knowledge sharing

  • Upskill technical and non-technical staff quickly

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Approach

IFC used New Native’s innovation platform, LabLab, for an inclusive hackathon: prep workshops, tutorials, guided prototyping, and Azure plus OpenAI-native tooling for secure builds.

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Outcomes

  • Twelve distinct internal AI solutions in under a month

  • Sixty-plus staff trained hands-on on GenAI

  • Prototypes such as summarizers, dashboards, smart repositories, and gamified learning

  • Leadership engagement and adoption

Our colleagues are very active in AI adoption, so we expected new insights, skills, and possibilities — and it delivered. Grateful to the IFC team and partners at LabLab.

Laura McCanlies, CIO, IFC
TechnologyAzure, OpenAI
Partner platformLabLab.ai
TimelineNovember 2024 (~30 days)
FormatHybrid (online and onsite)

IFC plans continued work with LabLab to expand GenAI across functions and repeat internal innovation formats.