DARPA AI Adult Learning Tools Competition Open for $750,000 in Awards
- By Kate Lucariello
- 11/17/22
The
Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA), an
arm of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), is taking proposals to
compete for $750,000 in awards to develop projects that use
innovative AI approaches, such as self-directed, remote AI tutoring,
to train adults for the current and future national security
workforce.
DARPA
is inviting technologists, researchers, students (including minors),
teachers, and “creators of digital learning platforms or
cutting-edge AI techniques to propose AI tools or technologies that
can address the critical challenges facing adult learners,” the
agency said. Successful tools will seek to create customized new
skills learning experiences aimed at adults who have completed
postsecondary education. Read
the DARPA AI Tools for Adult Learning FAQ for more
information.
The
competition is open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or U.S.
entities. Non-U.S. participants can participate as part of a team but
are not eligible to directly receive any part of an award. Go
here to fill out an eligibility quiz.
There
are three award levels:
-
Catalyst ($50,000): aimed at new participants, including students,
teachers, civic technologists, or those who need that initial spark
of support to get started.
-
Growth ($100,000): for teams that have a minimum viable product with
some users upon which their new idea will build.
-
Transform ($250,000): for teams with an established platform with
more than 10,000 users upon which the new idea will build.
Teams
that qualify for the higher awards can compete for lesser awards if
their project is in the beginning stages.
The
deadline to submit
abstracts is Dec. 18. 2022. A
free engineering community virtual networking meeting
is held the second Wednesday of every month at 1 p.m. EST. The next
one will be held Dec. 14, 2022. Read
more about DARPA here.
About the Author
Kate Lucariello is a former newspaper editor, EAST Lab high school teacher and college English teacher.