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AI100 Early Career Essay Competition

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AI100 launched an essay competition to hear directly from the next generation of AI scholars as a way of laying the groundwork for the next report. After carefully reviewing 54 submissions, the AI100 Standing Committee selected University of Texas at Austin Assistant Professor Samantha Shorey's essay as the winner. Shorey’s essay advocates for greater attention to the labor of AI integration performed by essential workers. As the competition winner, Shorey will serve on the next study panel tasked with writing the 2026 AI100 Report.

Researchers from 18 countries answered the call, offering intriguing perspectives on AI and its impacts on society. In addition to the winner, AI100 selected a collection of five essays that thoughtfully consider AI at the intersection of morality, regulation, love, labor, and religion.

Read the winning essays


The application is now closed. Check back here for an announcement on the winner(s) and visit AI100.stanford.edu for future involvement opportunities.

Add your voice to the conversation – help AI100 understand and anticipate how artificial intelligence will affect our lives, work, and society at large. 

The One Hundred Year Study on Artificial Intelligence (AI100) is a longitudinal study of progress in AI and its impacts on society. A key feature of the 2021 AI100 report was its commentary on what had changed since the first report published in 2016:

As a way of laying the groundwork for the next report, planned for 2026, the AI100 Standing Committee hereby invites original essay submissions that react directly to one or both of the AI100 reports.


Submission Guidelines

Essays may address any or all of the following questions, or comment in another creative way:

  • What points made in the AI100 report(s) are more true now than ever and ought to be magnified in the next report, and why?
  • What points made in the AI100 report(s) do you disagree with, and/or no longer hold, and why?
  • What topic (or small set of topics) covered in the previous reports do you expect to be more or less important to cover in the next report, and why?
  • What topic (or small set of topics) not addressed in previous reports do you predict will be of greater interest and importance by the time of the next report, and why?

Essays must be 1,000 words or less. Additionally, submissions should include an abstract of no more than 150 words summarizing the essay. Total word count should not exceed 1,150.

Submissions are due by March 31, 2023 at 11:59PM AoE (Anywhere on Earth). Decisions are planned for July-August 2023. The judging process will be managed by the AI100 Standing Committee, but detailed feedback on individual submissions will not be provided.

Essays are to reflect the ideas of a single, primary human author who is to be considered for the prize. That person should stand by the essay and be able to defend it. Any outside input or sources beyond spell-checkers and grammar-checkers, including consultation with others, must be clearly acknowledged.


Selection Criteria

Essays will be evaluated based on their depth of engagement with the report(s), clarity of message, rhetorical strength, eloquence, and how well-reasoned and well-supported they are.  A small number of finalists may be interviewed to discuss their essays and their commitment to investigating these topics in depth.


Eligibility

Ph.D. students, postdocs, early-career research scientists, and early-career faculty are encouraged to submit entries. Instructors of graduate courses on AI technology and/or AI policy are encouraged to set this task as an assessment item, and to work with your students to polish and submit particularly strong essays.


Prize

One or more winning entries will be selected to be highlighted on the AI100 site (AI100.stanford.edu) with the winning author(s) invited to join the Study Panel in charge of preparing the 2026 AI100 Study Panel report. To support their studies and especially their efforts on the Study Panel, AI100 will provide funding for travel, registration, and in-person participation at two conferences in complementary relevant disciplines. Conferences may include AAAI, AIES, FAccT, or 4S (or comparable others to be agreed upon). Costs must be consistent with Stanford’s reimbursement policy.


Application Form

The application is now closed. Please visit AI100.stanford.edu for future involvement opportunities.


FAQs

  • May I submit multiple entries for consideration? In general, the expectation is that each person will submit one entry. In exceptional circumstances, if you truly cannot decide between two topics that you deem to be of equal importance and that cannot be merged readily into a single coherent theme, we will accept at most two entries from a single individual.
  • Does the maximum word count limit of 1,150 (abstract + essay) exclude references? Yes, references will not be included in total word count.
  • Is the competition only open to people with a Stanford affiliation? No, AI100 welcomes and encourages participation from folks worldwide!
  • Are master’s students eligible to participate in the competition? Unfortunately, this opportunity is not open to master’s students, but we appreciate your interest in AI100 and would recommend checking ai100.stanford.edu for future involvement opportunities.

Contact

E-mail Christine Raval at craval@stanford.edu with any questions.