Artificial intelligence is transforming the world we live in. To succeed in this new reality, students must learn to create, think, and collaborate with AI.
That is exactly why the AI Initiative was created. In a safe environment, students learned how to use AI creatively. They connected theory with practice and, working in teams, set out to solve real-world problems with the help of the latest tools.
The project brought together students from American Academy in Prague, American Academy in Brno, American Academy in Zagreb, Pražské humanitní gymnázium, and Square — including both upper primary and high school students.
The AI Initiative is the most ambitious educational programme to date, developing the skills of hundreds of students and teachers while showing them how to fully unlock the potential of artificial intelligence.
The competition final showed that combining critical thinking, creativity, and modern technology can motivate students to achieve results that impressed even experienced investors and industry leaders.
Students improved their technological competencies and learned how to work with different platforms and applications.
Theoretical component: Students prepared a research component in which they described the problem, its solution, the AI technologies used, and the ethical aspects of their project.
Practical prototype: Teams demonstrated a functional AI-based solution.
Public presentation: Projects were presented to a jury of experts, peers, parents, and guests.
Teacher = Guide
Student = Creator
Teachers helped students navigate new technologies and guided them toward independent discovery
Mentor: Supports students in problem-solving
Organizer: Plans timelines and structure
Evaluator: Provides feedback
Industry Expert: Brings real-world context and interdisciplinary connections
Students worked in multidisciplinary teams and took on roles similar to those found in real corporate environments:
Project Manager: Coordinates and organizes the team
Developer/Designer: Programs and designs the prototype
AI Researcher: Explores tools and trends
Communications Lead: Prepares presentations and documentation
Ethics & Impact Analyst: Monitors ethical dimensions of the project
Tester/User Liaison: Tests the prototype
Upper Primary School: AI Study Assistant, AI for Healthy Lifestyles, Virtual Librarian, AI Language Teacher, AI Fitness Coach
High School: AI for Study Planning, AI Career Advisor, Fake News Analysis, AI and Mental Health, AI in Art, Medicine, Transportation, or Ecology
A study trip abroad for free! At the AI Innovation Fair, projects from the participating schools were presented.
experts in AI and technology
representatives of academia
professionals from relevant fields
Students were also motivated by attractive prizes that supported the further broadening of their horizons:
1st place: Study trip to the United Kingdom and prepaid access to advanced AI tools.
2nd place: Study trip to the United Kingdom.
3rd place: Study trip to Spain.
From their first experiments to professional prototypes, students had access to modern tools tailored to their age and level.
For Primary Schools:
Glide, Thunkable, Canva for Education, Scratch, Teachable Machine, ChatGPT (free version)
For High Schools:
Python (Google Colab, Jupyter), Visual Studio Code + GitHub, Bubble.io, Streamlit, OpenAI API, Hugging Face
This project offers students a unique opportunity to build essential 21st-century skills and gain hands-on experience that will open doors to the world of technology.