How to Complete the Challenge

Student participants will complete a project that involves the study, development, or use of an AI method or tool to address community challenges, while educators will focus on creative approaches to teaching or using AI technologies in K-12 learning. Student teams can also propose and create AI technologies that can be used to develop innovative ways address the items below that are of particular interest to the White House (more items can be found in the  Sample Projects):

  • Finding better jobs
  • Making communities or schools safer
  • Designing healthier or more economical meal plans
  • Finding better and more affordable housing and transportation
  • Creating a “skills report card” for students to go alongside their academic transcript
  • Helping educators develop customized learning plans for students

For their projects, youth and educators conduct research and use creative thinking in one of the following categories:

  • Track I (proposal): Teams create an in-depth proposal for how AI technologies could be applied to address a community challenge. This proposal must address an observed challenge in the student’s community, detail the mechanisms for applying AI technology, and elaborate on how AI technologies could help address that challenge.
  • Track II (technical/implementation): Teams build a solution with AI technologies that can help address a community challenge. Solutions could take many forms, such as phone apps, websites, or processes, with supporting materials showing how people would leverage the technology and how AI technology is helpful in addressing that challenge.
  • Track III (For educators only): Educator teams create an innovative approach to either 1) teach an AI concept or tool to K-12 students, or 2) explore how AI tools can assist in creating transformative teaching and learning experiences. Educators will develop and produce a video or other digital demonstration of the approach. Educators must follow all school guidance on the use of AI technologies in their classrooms.

For the Challenge, teams are encouraged to make use of any type of AI technology, such as generative AI, large language models, machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, robotics, computer vision, expert systems, decision trees, and neural networks, among others.

All teams will submit a written project summary that reflects on learning achievements, detailing research and lessons learned. Teams in Track I will prepare a presentation poster that details the proposed solution and teams in Track II will provide a demonstration or video of the technology solution. Educators (Track III) will prepare a video or other electronic demonstration of their teaching approach.