Sandvik hosted its first ever Promptathon in December, with the goal of helping employees master the art of asking better questions.
Unlike a traditional hackathon focused on writing code, the event centered on crafting prompts, questions and instructions given to AI systems to tackle real business challenges. “Initiatives like the Sandvik Promptathon show how we’re advancing our strategic objectives and shaping the industry’s future. I’m impressed by the achievements it delivered,” explained Stefan Widing, CEO and President of Sandvik.
For two hours, teams across the world dove into Microsoft Copilot to tackle real business challenges—from boosting profitability and efficiency to reimagining how people work and collaborate. Ideas were judged on how well they support long-term strategy, the tangible value they create, their originality, and how easily they can be scaled across the organization.
The four-ingredient formula for better prompting
The event opened with a masterclass led by Usman Afzal, Solution Architect and Productivity Coach at Microsoft, who shared practical tips for getting more out of Copilot while building scenarios for the Promptathon.
(Not every prompt needs all four ingredients, Afzal explained, but including the relevant ones dramatically improves the outcome and keeps AI grounded in real business needs.)
Celebrating the winners
The winners of the first Promptathon was a team from Brazil (including Flávio Lopes, Gabriel Pereira, Gabriela Sousa, Gustavo Cunha, Leonardo Ferreira, and Matheus Oliveira) (, with their concept “Sandvik Game Master,” in the category Empower High Performing Teams.
Their idea reimagines onboarding and training as an engaging, gamified journey that fosters learning, psychological safety, and collaboration. Complex processes are transformed into accessible “worlds,” helping people build competence faster while reinforcing a safety-first culture.
I would say that this is a bold, human-centered innovation that empowers teams and drives Sandvik forward
“I would say that this is a bold, human-centered innovation that empowers teams and drives Sandvik forward,” said Stefan Widing as he congratulated the winners.
As AI tools become standard workplace technology, the ability to communicate effectively with them becomes as fundamental as any other professional skill. By investing in prompt literacy, employees are equipped to maximize the potential of these tools and enhance productivity while maintaining the human judgment and expertise.
The question is no longer whether AI will transform how we work, but how quickly we can learn to work alongside it effectively.