BOURNE END, England – 14 August, 2024 – Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), a leading digital solution provider enabling businesses to intelligently connect data, assets, and people, today announced its inaugural AI Developer Challenge to further accelerate artificial intelligence (AI) innovation to help solve new and complex business issues for Zebra's customers. The challenge is open to new and existing Independent Software Vendor (ISV) partners in the Zebra® PartnerConnect programme.

"Developers, in collaboration with engineers and data scientists, are building some of the most important advances in AI today, and business leaders across industries are looking for AI tools to help improve operations, optimise their workforce, drive revenue and elevate the customer experience," said Stuart Hubbard, Senior Director, AI and Advanced Development, Zebra Technologies. "This challenge is yet another step we're taking to innovate with forward thinkers around this transformative technology."

Stack Overflow's 2023 Developer Survey of over 90,000 developers found that 70% of all respondents were already using or planned to use AI tools in their development processes, while 77% of all respondents were favourable or very favourable toward AI tools for development. Increased productivity and efficiency, writing code, documenting code and debugging were cited as some of the top benefits of using AI tools.

During the challenge, ISV developers will be granted access to Zebra's AI enablers and essential resources like software development kits (SDKs), private community forums, sessions with Zebra engineers and developers and more. Technical support from Zebra will be available for participants throughout the challenge.

Developers will be asked to create a functioning vision application that includes at least one Zebra-provided AI model and SDKs which can be combined with other technologies and AI application tools such as those from Google's ML Kit, MediaPipe and Qualcomm's AI Hub. The application must work on a Zebra mobile handheld device equipped with the Qualcomm 6490 chipset and may include other third-party SDKs.

Registration is now open to PartnerConnect ISVs and will close on 13September, 2024. Full details can be viewed on the dedicated Partner Portal. Developers who are not members of the programme but would like to participate are first asked to apply to join PartnerConnect. The challenge runs from 15 September – 15 December, 2024, and winners will be announced in January 2025.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Zebra has launched its inaugural AI Developer Challenge running from 15 September – 15 December, 2024.
• Developers will be tasked with creating a functioning AI application that can run on a Zebra handheld mobile device, with prizes, sponsorship and recognition for winners.
• The challenge aims to further catalyse innovation at a time when customers want AI tools to help them solve complex business challenges.

ABOUT ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES

Zebra (NASDAQ: ZBRA) helps organisations monitor, anticipate, and accelerate workflows by empowering their frontline and ensuring that everyone and everything is visible, connected and fully optimised. Our award-winning portfolio spans software to innovations in robotics, machine vision, automation, and digital decisioning, all backed by a +50-year legacy in scanning, track-and-trace and mobile computing solutions. With an ecosystem of 10,000 partners across more than 100 countries, Zebra's customers include over 80% of the Fortune 500. Newsweek recently recognised Zebra as one of America's Most Loved Workplaces and Greatest Workplaces for Diversity, and we are on Fast Company's list of the Best Workplaces for Innovators. Learn more at www.zebra.com or sign up for news alerts. Follow Zebra's Your Edge blog, LinkedIn, Twitter , and Facebook, and check out our Story Hub: Zebra Perspectives.

Media Contact:
Alex Blake
Archetype
londonzebra@archetype.co

Industry Analyst Contact:
Kasia Fahmy
Zebra Technologies
k.fahmy@zebra.com
+1-224-306-8654

ZEBRA and the stylised Zebra head are trademarks of Zebra Technologies Corp., registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2024 Zebra Technologies Corp. and/or its affiliates.