AI Builders Challenge - North AmericaWelcome to the AI Builders Challenge - North America, sponsored by IBM SkillsBuild and organized by BeMyApp. This virtual competition is designed for college and university students across the United States and Canada to build real-world AI solutions with IBM Bob, strengthen technical skills, and create a portfolio-ready project. No coding experience is required.From October 1 through November 2, start by completing the required 15-minute IBM SkillsBuild prerequisite, <a href="https://skills.yourlearning.ibm.com/activity/ALM-COURSE_4076311?ngo-id=0302&utm_campaign=aca-ai-builders-challenge-na" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">How IBM Bob and AI Tools Are Changing the Way Solutions Are Built</a>. Every team member must complete the course and download their certificate. After completing the pre-requisite you can use this time to explore additional foundational to advanced IBM SkillsBuild courses and resources to prepare for the Challenge.Then, from November 2 through December 2, the Challenge officially kicks off and the building begins. Put what you learned into practice with IBM Bob by choosing from the AI for Good, AI for Business, or Wildcard Challenges. You’ll also have access to live webinars, IBM mentors, technical resources, project support, and the IBM SkillsBuild Developer Community on Discord while competing for a share of the $15,000 USD prize pool, including $10,000 USD for the first-place team.The Challenge is open to eligible university students 18 years of age or older who are legal residents of the United States of America or Canada, excluding the province of Quebec. Participation is subject to <a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/ideation/image/upload/q_100,f_pdf,dpr_auto/id-ai-builders-ch-2b8138/s1a5e6vony1hqdsqkqnk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the </a><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/ideation/image/upload/q_100,f_pdf,dpr_auto/id-ai-builders-ch-2b8138/k1oxs4lhvebv8a8awv7n" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Official Rules</a>.<hr>HOW IT WORKSWhether you’re new to AI or already have technical experience, the AI Builders Challenge gives you the learning, tools, resources, and support to build a real-world AI solution with IBM Bob.<table style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="width: 50%; background-color: rgb(208, 226, 255);">Learn with IBM SkillsBuild | October 1 – November 2 </td><td style="width: 50%; background-color: rgb(208, 226, 255);">Build with IBM Bob | November 2 – December 2 </td></tr><tr><td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top;">Start by completing the required free 15-minute IBM SkillsBuild prerequisite to build foundational knowledge, prepare for the Challenge, and earn a certificate. Every team member must complete the course and download their certificate.Through IBM SkillsBuild, you’ll have access to explore foundational to advanced AI concepts, technologies, courses, and resources that will help you approach your project and make the most of IBM Bob throughout the Challenge. After completing the pre-requisite you can use this time to explore additional foundational to advanced IBM SkillsBuild courses and resources to prepare for the Challenge.<a href="https://skills.yourlearning.ibm.com/activity/ALM-COURSE_4076311?ngo-id=0302&utm_campaign=aca-ai-builders-challenge" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Complete IBM SkillsBuild Learning →</a></td><td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top;">On November 2, the Challenge officially kicks off and the building begins. You’ll be sent a link to activate a free 30-day IBM Bob student trial, then choose from the AI for Good, AI for Business, or Wildcard Challenges and develop a real-world AI solution.Use IBM Bob as your primary development tool, while incorporating other technologies and open-source tools as needed. Join the Challenge Kickoff webinars on November 5 to get oriented, review the challenge, and learn how to get started. Build independently or with a team of up to 5 participants, with access to mentors, live webinars, technical resources, project support, and the North America AI Builders Discord Community throughout the Challenge.<a href="https://aibuilderschallenge-na-platform.bemyapp.com/#/sponsors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Explore the Challenges →</a></td></tr></tbody></table><hr>START HERE<table style="width: 100%;" class="fr-dashed-borders"><tbody><tr><td style="width: 100.0000%;" class="fr-thick ">Complete the Required IBM SkillsBuild LearningBefore the challenge kicks off on November 2nd, complete the free required 15-minute IBM SkillsBuild learning, How IBM Bob and AI Tools Are Changing the Way Solutions Are Built, to build foundational knowledge and prepare for the competition.Every team member must complete the learning and download their IBM SkillsBuild certificate, which will be required as part of the final project submission.After you complete the required learning, you have the whole month leading up to the challenge kickoff to explore additional foundational to advanced IBM SkillsBuild learnings covering AI concepts, technologies, and resources to help you strengthen your skills and make the most of IBM Bob during the challenge.<a href="https://skills.yourlearning.ibm.com/activity/ALM-COURSE_4076311?ngo-id=0302&utm_campaign=aca-ai-builders-challenge-na" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Start Required Learning →</a></td></tr></tbody></table>**Important IBM Bob Access Note: We recommend waiting until the challenge kickoff to activate your free IBM Bob trial, as the trial is only available for 30 days. A student access link will be provided at the start of the challenge. If you previously participated in a challenge and already activated your free trial, an additional resource will be provided.**NEXT STEPS<ol><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Join the Discord Community: Connect with other participants, mentors, and organizers in the North America AI Builders Community on Discord. Use the community to ask questions, find teammates, get support, and stay up to date throughout the challenge. <a href="https://discord.gg/tZPUMPdgg9" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Join Discord →</a> </li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Form Your Team: Work solo or collaborate with up to 5 participants. Need help finding a team? Join the Team Formation Webinar on Thursday, November 5 from 5:00–6:00 PM ET or connect with other participants in the #team-formation channel on Discord.</li><li>Choose Your Challenge & Start Building: Review the AI for Good, AI for Business, and Wildcard Challenges, choose the challenge that best fits your idea, and start developing your solution using IBM Bob as your primary development tool. <a href="https://aibuilderschallenge-na-platform.bemyapp.com/#/sponsors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">View Challenges →</a></li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Explore Resources: Check out the Resources section for recommended IBM SkillsBuild learnings, example solutions, IBM Bob resources, and other technical guidance to help you get started. More resources will be added as we get closer to the challenge. <a href="https://aibuilderschallenge-na-platform.bemyapp.com/#/news/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Review Resources →</a></li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Watch Live & On-Demand Sessions: Join live webinars hosted by BeMyApp and IBM to learn more about the challenges, IBM Bob, available resources, and project expectations. You’ll also be able to watch on-demand content and replays of live webinars throughout the challenge. <a href="https://aibuilderschallenge-na-platform.bemyapp.com/#/talks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">See Scheduled Webinars →</a></li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Create Your Project Page & Submit: Create your project page and add your team members, IBM SkillsBuild certificate(s), project overview, 3-minute video demo, and presentation slides. Be sure to review the full submission requirements on your chosen challenge page, then click “Publish” on your project page by December 2 at 5:00 PM ET for your submission to be considered complete. <a href="https://aibuilderschallenge-na-platform.bemyapp.com/#/projects" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Submit Your Project Here →</a></li></ol><hr>JUDGING CRITERIAWinners will be selected by a panel of judges who will evaluate submissions based on:<ul><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Technical Execution – Effective use of IBM Bob and supporting technologies, including functionality, technical quality, and overall solution structure.</li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Innovation – Creativity, originality, and thoughtful application of AI to solve the selected problem.</li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Challenge Fit & Real-World Impact – Alignment with the selected challenge and the solution’s potential to address a meaningful real-world need.</li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Feasibility & Implementation – Practicality of the solution, including its potential to be implemented, scaled, and further developed for real-world use.</li></ul><hr>PRIZESJoin the challenge for the opportunity to compete for a share of the $15,000 USD total prize pool. Top teams across all challenges will also gain recognition from IBM and the opportunity to showcase their work.<ol><li style="font-size: 14px;">Grand Prize - $10,000 USD</li><li style="font-size: 14px;">Second Place / Runner-Up - $3,000 USD</li><li style="font-size: 14px;">Best AI for Good Project - $1,000 USD</li><li style="font-size: 14px;">Best Wildcard Solution - $1,000 USD</li></ol>Prizes are awarded to the top eligible teams across all challenges and are subject to the official challenge terms and conditions.