SDAIA Awards Medals to 44 Students from Over 25 Countries at the First International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- His Excellency Dr. Esam Alwagait, Director of National Information Centre for the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence (SDAIA), honored the winners of the inaugural International Artificial Intelligence Olympiad. The event was organized by SDAIA in collaboration with the International Center for Research and Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (ICAIRE) and the International Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI), under the patronage of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).

His Excellency Dr. Esam Alwagait, Director of National Information Centre (NIC), SDAIA

H.E. Dr. Alwagait awarded medals and honors to the winners during the third day of the Global AI Summit, which concluded today. A total of 8 students received gold medals, 16 earned silver, and 20 were awarded bronze. The winning students expressed their immense joy, noting that the victory inspires them to further develop their talents in fields related to artificial intelligence. They also expressed their hope for future opportunities to contribute to the advancement of AI and its potential to benefit humanity.

Over the course of three days, the students participated individually in AI Olympiad tests, with each country represented by a team of up to four students. On the first day, students undertook scientific tests lasting five hours. On the second day, they completed experimental tests, where they developed solutions to scientific problems using AI techniques on a specially designed platform. On the third day, participants faced practical tests that determined the winners. On the final day of the summit the winners were awarded prizes and medals, marking the conclusion of the world's first AI Olympiad.

The Olympiad served as an international platform for artificial intelligence competitions, bringing participants together and fostering active discussions to explore the diverse applications of AI. It aimed to encourage exceptionally talented young individuals in this rapidly growing field. Additionally, the Olympiad promoted the organization of AI competitions for secondary school students, motivating them to develop smart solutions through algorithm design, learning, data structuring, and programming. It provided an opportunity for students, AI specialists, and global influencers to engage with the future landscape of AI, stay abreast of the rapid advancements in the field, and equip young talent with cutting-edge technical skills.

SDAIA held the Olympiad to help strengthen international ties between technology and software experts, as well as artificial intelligence educators from various countries. The event also aimed to draw the attention of young people to these cutting-edge technologies and inspire other nations to organize similar competitions in the future.

Notably, participants from over 25 countries underwent training that included 15 virtual lectures focused on the scientific aspects of using the ZINDI platform. These tests aimed to motivate students to engage in the field of AI and equip them with the essential knowledge needed to excel in this area.

 As part of the preparations for the Olympiad, a series of virtual lectures on AI were offered through the Olympiad's website. These lectures aimed to prepare the international teams participating in the competition and enable students from around the world to benefit from the content, broadening their understanding of this critical field. Spanning five weeks, the lectures covered a range of topics related to the use of AI in various sectors, including an introduction to AI, the impact of AI on society in terms of ethics and justice, and the role of data in supporting businesses. Other topics included deep generation models, guided learning, AI research, learning assessment, reinforcement learning, and unsupervised learning.

The International Artificial Intelligence Olympiad (IAIO) was part of SDAIA's ongoing efforts to enhance Saudi Arabia's global standing as a leader in data and AI. It aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals 2030 by raising awareness of the importance of these advanced technologies and equipping communities with the necessary knowledge and skills to master them.

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