CUNY AI Innovation Challenge Fall 2026

About the Challenge

Join a two-day hands-on innovation challenge where current CUNY undergraduate students from every major team up to solve real-world problems for CUNY and New York City using AI. Use this opportunity to express your creativity, develop your leadership skills, network and collaborate with your team, get support from mentors, and present to judges for prizes.

This event is free for all CUNY students. You will form teams of 3-4 members to compete. This is more than a competition - this is your chance to gain practical experience. Collaborate with peers across CUNY and walk away with skills and connections that last well beyond the event. Join us to make a difference!

Important Dates

Wed, September 9th, 2026

Challenge announced.
Join the Challenge.
Fill out the Form to receive a registration link.

Tue, September 25th, 2026

Challenge Registration opens.
Registration links start being sent out.

Fri, November 13th, 2026

Challenge Registration Ends & Team Registration Begins.
Teams must consist of 3 - 4 members.

Fri, December 4th, 2026

The Main Event Day 1.

Sat, December 5th, 2026

The Main Event Day 2.

Participation Tracks

Student teams of 3 to 4 members work in one of the three tracks.

TBA

Goals & Impact

In the world of tech, it's a life of life-long learning, because things are changing every day. The idea is to be a problem-solver. You need to know how to learn new things and those are the human things the machine doesn't know how to do yet.

Workforce readiness

Prepare students for jobs where AI plays a major role.

Teamwork & communication

Build professional skills valued by employers.

The AI Innovation Challenge is a great opportunity to address problems within our community and come up with solutions that could have a meaningful impact, whether that's making life easier for new students, improving the advisement process, or anything else you can think of!

Joseph C. BMCC Alumni, Current Columbia University Student

The AI Innovation Challenge gave me something I could not have scripted. I walked in as a student with ideas and walked out with a story I still tell in behavioral interviews to this day.

Darlyn G. BMCC Alumni, Current RIT Student

Second CUNY AI Innovation Challenge Fall 2026