About the Challenge

The renewal of America is happening at all levels. AI can be harnessed to meet emerging local, state, and regional demands, driving innovation in our nation’s Golden Age. On April 23, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order (EO) 14277, “Advancing Artificial Intelligence (AI) Education for American Youth,” with the goal of maintaining America’s global dominance in this technological revolution for future generations. This EO directed the establishment of the Presidential AI Challenge (Challenge) to foster interest and expertise in AI technology in America's youth.

Early training in the responsible use of AI tools will demystify this technology and prepare America’s youth to be confident participants in the AI-assisted workforce, propelling our Nation to new heights of scientific innovation and economic achievement. Students and educators of all backgrounds and expertise are encouraged to participate and ignite a new spirit of innovation as we celebrate 250 years of independence and look to the next 250.

The Challenge features a multi-tiered competition culminating in a White House showcase of top finalists. The three tiers are State, Regional, and National. To enter the Challenge, students, as part of a team, will complete a project that involves the study, development, or use of an AI method or tool to address important challenges, while educators, also part of a team, will focus on creative approaches to teaching or using AI technologies in K-12 learning. After projects are judged, the teams from each state with the highest scores will be named State Champions of the Challenge and advance to the regional stage of the Challenge. At the Regional Challenge, State Champions will present their projects to a panel of judges who, after asking questions of the team members, will determine which teams will advance from the Regional Challenge to the National Finals in Washington, DC.