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Presidential AI Challenge Seeks Innovative AI Solutions for Learning and Community

The White House has officially launched its Presidential AI Challenge, an initiative first announced in President Donald Trump's April 23 Executive Order on AI education. The competition, open to teachers, community leaders, and middle and high school students, "seeks to inspire young people and educators to create AI-based innovation solutions to community challenges while fostering AI interest and competency," according to the challenge website.

Student teams will complete a project that involves the study, development, or use of an AI method or tool to address community challenges, the White House said. Suggested topics of particular interest include:

  • Making communities or schools safer;
  • Designing healthier or more economical meal plans;
  • Promoting healthy peer engagement and a safer digital future;
  • Creating a "skills report card" for students to go alongside their academic transcript; and
  • Helping educators develop customized learning plans for students.

Educator-led projects will focus on creative approaching to teaching or using AI technologies in K-12 learning.

Teams are encouraged to utilize "any type of AI technology" in their projects, including generative AI, large language models, machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, robotics, computer vision, expert systems, decision trees, and neural networks, the White House said.

Project submissions are due by Jan. 20, 2026. Eligible participants can opt to enter their projects into a Challenge Competition, where teams can win the opportunity to showcase their work at a finalists' event at the White House. State champions will be announced March 16, and a regional championship will take place March 27-April 13, followed by a national championship in June. For more information, visit the Presidential AI Challenge site.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

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