10 AI Competitions to Help High School Students Stand Out in College Applications
The Importance of AI Competitions for High School Students
The recent growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) makes it even more imperative to understand AI and how to use it to protect ourselves from its dangers adequately. AI competitions are crucial for high school students as they provide hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology, fostering innovation and creativity. They use real-life events to teach how to solve problems and work together. Competitions let people learn about the rules of their field and connect with other professionals. By showing they can use AI in useful ways, people can get more people interested in STEM careers and improve their chances of getting into college and a job. Here are 10 AI competitions and some details about them:
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1. Microsoft Imagine Cup:
Why Participate: The Microsoft Imagine Cup challenges students to create technological solutions for practical problems through innovation. Participating will help you acquire critical project management, problem-solving, and team-building skills. The competition also presents mentoring opportunities, monetary awards, and a worldwide stage presentation of your proposal.
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Summary: Participants are using AI technology to support their start-up businesses.
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Pros: Participants receive mentorship from industry professionals and have access to Open AI credits.
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Cons: The competition is highly competitive.
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Date: Rolling for next season
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Cost: Free of charge.
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Prize: $100,000
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2. Amazon Alexa Prize
Why Participate: The Amazon Alexa Prize asks students to create intelligent and attractive Alexa skills, stretching conversational artificial intelligence’s bounds. Participating gives access to Amazon’s resources, professional mentoring, and the possibility to win big monetary awards. This challenge is a terrific approach to improving AI knowledge and helping voice technology evolve.
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Summary: Participants will develop chatbots to have meaningful conversations with their users.
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Pros: Participants will gain experience in developing conversation AI.
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Cons: Participants must have prior knowledge of AI and Natural language processing.
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Date: Rolling
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Cost: Free
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Prize: Amazon Echo products and cash prizes.
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3. World Artificial Intelligence Competition for Youth (WAICY)
Why Participate: WAICY is designed for young inventors to investigate and present their AI ideas. Participating provides a stage for learning from AI professionals, getting acknowledgment, and worldwide peer collaboration. Students driven by artificial intelligence and seeking to influence the field will find an ideal fit in this competition.
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Summary: Participants will generate AI products within three categories: showcase, Generated Art, and large Language Models, which professionals will judge.
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Pros: There are multiple paths participants can explore for AI application
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Cons: No money is awarded to the winner.
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Date: TBD
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Cost: Free
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Prize: Awards
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4. STEAM in AI Multimodal Challenge
Why Participate: The STEAM in AI Multimodal Championship invites middle and high school students to dive into the exciting world of AI by tackling real-world challenges. This competition offers a unique opportunity to enhance your AI skills, collaborate with peers, and gain hands-on experience in a supportive environment. Whether you’re a coder, designer, or project manager, you’ll learn from top experts, build future-ready skills, and have the chance to win awards and recognition for your innovative AI solutions.
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Summary: An AI challenge where students work on problems presented and create presentations for solutions to inspire students to pursue technology.
Pros: The challenge is designed for young learners in middle and high school; no previous coding experience is required.
Cons: Teams must find their own Mentors.
Date: 2024 season
Cost: $60
Prize: Up to $1,000 prize
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5. Numerai
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Why Participate: Participants in Numerai’s data science challenge create machine learning models to forecast financial markets. This challenge provides hands-on knowledge with real-world data, possible income depending on model performance, and a unique approach to using AI abilities in the financial industry.
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Summary: Participants will develop a Machine Learning Model to predict a stock’s behavior.
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Pros: This competition is at the intersection of finance, data science, and AI.
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Cons: Only participants with advanced Finance, Data Science, and AI skills can participate.
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Date: weekly submissions
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Cost: Free
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Prize: Numerai’s Cryptocurrency (NMR)
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6. International Artificial Intelligence Olympiad
Why Participate: Using a set of demanding challenges, the International Artificial Intelligence Olympiad evaluates students’ knowledge and abilities in artificial intelligence. Students who participate assist in expanding their understanding of AI ideas, getting international exposure, and competing for scholarships and rewards.
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Summary: Participants will attend a World Championship for AI, highlighting their technical skills.
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Pros: Participants who even make the team will receive recognition globally.
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Cons: The team is highly selective; only top Olympiad champions make it, and those who do have extensive courses and tasks to complete.
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Date: Aug 2024
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Cost: Not specified
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Prize: Not specified
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7. Bitgrit’s Bird Species Classification Challenge
Why Participate: Participants in this challenge must create models to identify bird species from photos. Applying computer vision methods, honing your data science abilities, and helping with biodiversity studies present unique opportunities. Winners also receive cash awards and acknowledgment.
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Summary: Participants will combine their knowledge of Machine learning with AI to produce an ML program that can classify birds.
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Pros: Participants only need a little prior knowledge for this challenge.
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Cons: There are no winners or prizes; participants must have machine learning knowledge.
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Date: Rolling
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Cost: None
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Prize: None
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8. AI Song Contest
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Why Participate: This competition provides a unique opportunity to explore AI’s potential in the arts, collaborate with like-minded individuals, and showcase your musical creativity to the world.
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Summary: Participants will submit their songs, generated with AI, to compete with one another.
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Pros: Participants can try out the unique process of mixing music with AI
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Cons: The music AI genre is a very niche area of AI.
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Date: Rolling
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Prize: Exposure within the AI community.
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9. LMSYS – Chatbot Arena Human Preference Predictions
Why Participate: LMSYS challenges participants to create chatbots capable of engaging and pleasing human users. This competition is a great way to improve your natural language processing abilities, get comments from actual users, and maybe win awards and recognition for your chatbot concepts.
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Summary: In teams of 2-4, participants will build an LLM model that predicts user behavior in head-to-head battles using AI-powered conversion.
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Pros: Participants can win up to 100,000 dollars and prizes and awards.
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Cons: To compete in this challenge, one must have previous knowledge in programming and AI, and the competition is also highly competitive.
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Date: May 2, 2024 – Aug 5, 2024
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Cost: Free
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Prize: $100,000 + prizes and awards
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10. Intel AI Impact Creators
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Why Participate: The Intel AI Impact Creators competition emphasizes the social good application of artificial intelligence. With mentoring from Intel specialists and chances for worldwide exposure, participants had the opportunity to create AI-driven initiatives addressing societal issues. Those who wish to use technology to bring about good change would find this challenge perfect.
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Summary: Participants will create solutions to social problems with AI, which will be judged globally.
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Pros: Participants will receive significant prestige and recognition.
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Cons: The submitted project is advanced and requires much prior knowledge.
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Date: Annually September
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Cost: Free
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Prize: Intel Laptops
