Young kids, professionals from 65 countries participate in global AI competition in Russia

Young children and professionals from 65 countries, including India, have taken part in AIChallenge, an international AI competition for children organised by Sberbank and AI Alliance Russia.

India became second in the number of registered participants at the AI Challenge. Participants from other BRICS countries include Ethiopia, Egypt, and South Africa.

The children worked on technological business cases in 16 areas, spanning metallurgy, agriculture, investment, creative industries, and many more.

The participants competed in three categories of varying complexity. Everyone, regardless of their level of knowledge and skill in the field, was able to prove themselves by working on business challenges using AI solutions.

The AI Challenge winners were from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Canada. The youngest AI Challenge winner, Oleg Zamkov from Moscow, is 10 years old.

“The AI Challenge contest is designed to help kids improve their AI skills and make their first contribution to the development of technology for the benefit of humanity. In partnership with AI Alliance Russia and leading Russian universities, we are creating new opportunities to train world-class, talented young professionals in Russia,” AlexanderVedyakhin, first deputy chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank:

The winners of the Al Challenge noted that it was fun and challenging to work on technological business cases. With AI Challenge, boys and girls have become more confident in their abilities, fostered their AI and teamwork skills, and are now ready for even more challenging competitions.

“I am a technology enthusiast, and I was fascinated by the contest’s themes. I enjoyed competing with other kids. I learned how AI works, and I was able to put that knowledge into practice while doing the contest tasks,” said Oleg Zamkov, a contestant who came second in the Beginners track.

“It was challenging but fun. The competition helped me improve my skills in at-work interactions and team organisation along with AI and programming skills. I think that, in the future, AI will become a very useful tool in all areas of our lives. AI is already being implemented in many processes around the world, and it is important to understand how and what exactly is happening,” added another contestant IvanFenster, Team 42, Researchers track.

About 18 teams from the Researchers track and 26 participants from the Beginners and Creators individual tracks were judged as the best and shared the 17 mn roubles as prize money.

The winners of the Researchers track, in addition to the cash prize, will have the opportunity to undergo a unique educational programme by AI Alliance Russia and Central University.

AI Challenge winners will also receive several benefits, including scholarships from leading Russian universities that are academic partners of the competition: Innopolis University, Central University, and ITMO University.

(With inputs from IANS)