AI Competitions

Many people derive joy from exploring their interests and competing. Whether this may be a tournament for sports, taking the AMC for math, or any other competition for virtually anything. AI is also not an exception since many tournaments are related to the usage and/or development of this remarkable tool. While many AI competitions exist, the 3 that this article will be focused on are the World Artificial Intelligence Competition for Youth, International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence, and the Presidential AI Challenge.

The first competition is the World Artificial Intelligence Competition for Youth, or WAICY for short. There are 4 main categories that students can compete in: AI showcase, AI generated art, AI large language model, and the Ai generated video track. These categories are broad enough to encourage students to dive deep in whatever category excites them the most, whether that be STEM or art. The AI showcase track is where students develop a project explaining how a problem can be solved by an AI model. The second track, AI generated art, uses specified AI models to generate the best art piece based on the specific year’s theme. The AI large language model track utilizes AI models that have already been created to specialize in a specific domain. Lastly, the AI generated video track challenges students to create a video that either conveys a powerful message to viewers or discusses problems that can be seen in today’s world. Each track has a different grading rubric, which can be found on their official website at the bottom of their webpage in the “Let’s get your questions answered” section. The WAICY is open to students aged 6-18. Furthermore, there are no prerequisites for competing in this competition. Nonetheless, they do offer courses over the summer and have resources that students can use to prepare for the competition. Although the registration data for 2026 has not yet been released, students can register to get a notification for when it does. Students have the option to either compete virtually or in person. In addition, students have the option to compete individually or compete in a group with no restrictions on the number of team members. On their official website, they report that, in 2025, over 73,000 students competed from 103 countries. By participating in this competition, students can be sure to expand their use of AI in a more practical way.

The International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI) is great for students to have a strong interest in AI. Students cannot register for the IOAI directly but first must compete in their region selection round. This round typically consists of multiple-choice questions on AI concepts, problems on logic and math, basic machine learning questions, and sometimes a short modeling or programming task. If a competitor scores high enough, then they may be invited to the IOAI. The IOAI consists of three parts, the theory examination, practical/coding task, and the innovation/project challenge. The theory examination can cover topics such as machine learning basics, neural networks, probability and statistics, algorithms, and ethics and AI safety. The practical/coding task has a user, given a dataset or problem, build a model, analyze their results, and explain how they decided to solve the task. Lastly, the innovation challenge is where competitors propose or present a solution to a problem that utilizes AI. This competition is initially done independently, instead of having the option of registering as a team. The 2026 registration has already passed. Nonetheless, students can sign up for the competition in 2027, no later than January 31st. To register, the competitor must be enrolled in either middle or high school (or the equivalent of such grades/ages). Overall, this competition is a bit more advanced than the previous one, but it is definitely worth looking into if working with AI in the future is something that a student is passionate about.

The final competition is the presidential AI challenge. This competition, unlike the others, is for students that are residents of the U.S. Students K-12 are allowed to enter and compete. Although the 2026 registration data has now passed, students can sign up for next year’s competition when the forms open (the website hints that it will open in August of this year). On their website, competitors can begin to compete after July 30th. There are two tracks that students can take: the proposal track, or the technical/implementation track. As the name suggests, the proposal track requires students to propose a solution to a problem in their community, how they would plan on implementing it, and explain how an AI could help solve the problem. On the other hand, the technical/implementation track has students create an AI technology that would help address the problem. The scoring rubrics for both tracks can be found in the challenge guidebook on the competition’s official page. By competing, a student can receive a Presidential Certificate of Achievement. However, by becoming a state or national champion, they can receive additional certificates. Furthermore, if they become national champions, they will receive a $10,000 prize. To get to nationals, a student must first compete at both the state level and regional level. Students can either compete individually or in a team, and a school can send multiple teams to compete. While this competition is meant for U.S. citizens to compete in, it is still a great option if you are eligible.

In conclusion, there are many AI competitions out there that would be a great way to learn more and show off what you know about AI. Both the WAICY and the Presidential AI challenge test students on their critical thinking and problem-solving skills for how to utilize AI tools. In addition, the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence is an excellent option for highly motivated and advanced students in the field of AI. While only a few were covered, it is recommended that readers explore other options that match better with their goals.

Official website for the presidential AI challenge: Presidential AI Challenge

Official website for the IOAI: International Olympiad in AI – International Olympiad in AI

Official website for the WAICY: WAICY Home - WAICY