• aihackathon@usaii.org

The USAII's Global AI Hackathon is a structured student innovation virtual competition designed to help learners build real AI solutions in a responsible way. Instead of asking students to create abstract demos, the hackathon invites them to solve meaningful problems using public data, synthetic data, and thoughtful AI design.

The event is virtual by design. Students can participate from anywhere, core sessions are recorded, and teams can collaborate across schools, countries, and time zones. Devpost powers registration, teams, submissions, and judging, while Discord supports announcements, mentors, and community communication.

This is also a multi-stage experience: pre-registration, team formation, qualifier, build phase, judging, and a global awards showcase. That structure helps the hackathon scale while preserving quality and fairness.

Who Can Participate

Open to Students Worldwide

The hackathon is open to students currently enrolled in:

  • High school (Grades 9–12)
  • Undergraduate programs
  • Graduate and doctoral programs

Students may register solo, and join a team to participate in the hackathon. Teams must compete in the track aligned with their highest education level, and mixed teams should register in the highest-level track represented.

No prior AI or hackathon experience is required. Students can build with code, no-code, or low-code tools, and free-tier AI tools are sufficient.

Who Can Participate

Three Tracks. Real Problems. Multiple Ways to Build.

Each track has one core challenge and several mission lanes so students get both structure and choice. That makes judging fairer while still allowing creativity. The exact challenges will be revealed during Kickoff livestream and posted on Devpost.

High School — AI for Good in your World

Design an AI-powered solution that improves everyday life in your community by making help easier to find, learning more human, or the environment easier to protect.

  • Community: Help is Hard to Find – Make Support Obvious
  • Environment: Make Climate Action Local and Real – Build Tools People will Use

Full challenge directions will be revealed during the Hackathon Kickoff.

Download HS Preview Brief
College — AI for Life & Work

Build AI tools that help people learn, prepare for work, or make better decisions in everyday systems. Mission lanes include Career Readiness, Productivity, and Public Services.

  • Productivity: Build the “Second Brain” for Real Life
  • Public Services: Fix Systems People Depend On

Full challenge directions will be revealed during the Hackathon Kickoff.

Download College Preview Brief
Graduate — AI for Systems & Society

Design AI systems that protect people, strengthen public infrastructure, and ensure technology is deployed responsibly. Mission lanes include Human Safety & Protection, Public Systems & Policy, and Secure & Responsible AI Infrastructure.

  • Human Safety & Protection: Design the Systems that Detect and Prevent Harm
  • Public Systems & Policy: Build the Decision Engines for Public Systems

Full challenge directions will be revealed during the Hackathon Kickoff.

Download Graduate Preview Brief

Timeline

Key Dates
June 7–19, 2026

AI Thinking Readiness Qualifier

June 14, 2026

College / Graduate kickoff

June 14, 2026

High School kickoff

June 21, 2026

Submission deadline

June 22–25, 2026

Judging rounds

June 26, 2026

Global awards showcase

The event is designed to be accessible across global time zones, with core content recorded and made available asynchronously.

Prizes

Cash Prizes, Recognition, and Scholarships

The hackathon celebrates teams that combine creativity, technical thinking, and responsible innovation. Awards recognize standout work in each track, including overall winners as well as teams demonstrating strong ethical design and social impact.

Each track has a $5,000 prize pool, plus USAII® AI certification scholarships:

  • Grand Prize: $2,500 + scholarship
  • Runner Up: $1,500 + scholarship
  • Third Place: $500 + scholarship
  • Responsible AI Award: $250 + scholarship
  • Social Impact Award: $250 + scholarship

USAII® Certification Scholarships:

  • Students that complete Qualifier Round receive 15% discount on CAIP, CAIPa, or CAIE certification
  • Students that complete Hackathon receive 25% discount on CAIP, CAIPa, or CAIE certification
  • Students that win Hackathon category receive 100% discount on CAIP, CAIPa, or CAIE certification
US $15,000+

Total Prize Pool

Step Up as a Student Leader

The USAII’s Global AI Hackathon 2026 is more than a competition; it’s a global movement bringing together thousands of students to build real-world AI solutions.

As a Student Leader, you’ll play a key role in driving community engagement, supporting participants, and helping deliver a seamless global experience. From managing communities and outreach to assisting with operations and platform coordination, this is your opportunity to gain real-world leadership experience while working alongside a global network of student innovators.

This is not just volunteering, it’s a chance to lead, collaborate, and make an impact at a global scale.

Apply to join the Student Leadership Team

FREE REGISTRATION: Pre-Register for Priority Updates and Early Access

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