The International Olympiad in AI (IOAI), a competition for high school students in NLP, CV, and robotics, will be hosted in Abu Dhabi by MBZUAI in 2026. MBZUAI faculty members Yova Kementchedjhieva and Maxim Panov are part of IOAI's International Scientific Committee and helped bring the event to the UAE. The IOAI 2025 in Beijing included individual contests, team challenges, and the GAITE program, testing participants with AI tasks and generalization challenges. Why it matters: Hosting IOAI in Abu Dhabi highlights the UAE's commitment to fostering AI talent and positions MBZUAI as a key player in global AI education.
The first International Olympiad in AI for high school students will be held in Bulgaria from August 9-15, 2024. Organized by the LERAI Foundation, the competition will test students on machine learning, computer vision, and natural language processing. Sponsors include Google and MBZUAI, with organizers hoping participants pursue further AI education and careers. Why it matters: This event aims to cultivate global AI talent and could increase interest in AI education and careers in the GCC region, particularly at MBZUAI.
Saudi students are actively participating in the 3rd annual International AI Olympiad held in Kazakhstan. This competition challenges young minds in various aspects of artificial intelligence application and problem-solving. The event provides a platform for students to demonstrate their skills and engage with international peers in the rapidly evolving field of AI. Why it matters: This participation underscores Saudi Arabia's strategic focus on nurturing AI talent among its youth and investing in future technological leadership.
Four Saudi students mentored by KAUST Professor Kuo-Wei Huang won one silver and three bronze medals at the 50th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO 2018) in Prague. Bader Almulhim won a silver medal, while Abdulrahman Aledrees, Ali Alasmari and Osama Alali won bronze. Almulhim and Alasmari were accepted to the KAUST Gifted Student Program (KGSP) and will study in the U.S. Why it matters: This highlights KAUST's role in nurturing scientific talent and promoting STEM education in Saudi Arabia, though the direct AI relevance is limited.