USAII's Global AI Hackathon is a free, virtual one-week competition organized by the United States Artificial Intelligence Institute (USAII), open to full-time students worldwide from high school through doctoral level. Participants form teams of 2-5 and compete in one of three tracks based on academic level: high school students (grades 9-12) tackle "AI for Good in your World," undergraduates address "AI for Life, Learning & Work," and graduate and doctoral students explore "AI for Systems & Society."
The competition runs in phases: registration and team formation through June 6, a 30-minute AI Readiness Qualifier assessment June 7-10, and a one-week build sprint June 14-21, culminating in a 3-5 minute pitch video and functional demo submission. A total of $15,000+ in prizes is distributed per track: $2,500 for first place, $1,500 for runner-up, $500 for third, and $250 each for Best Responsible AI Design and Best Social Impact. Winners also receive USAII AI certification scholarships and digital badges. Mentors, workshops, and speaker sessions are available throughout the build week, with judging June 22-25 and an awards ceremony on June 27.