The nationwide SW·AI talent development project <2025 SW Future Filling SW·AI High School Challenge>, jointly organized by EBS and the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA) and sponsored by the Ministry of Science and ICT, will be held from August 1st to 3rd for a 2-night, 3-day period at the Seoul YMCA Goyang International Youth Cultural Center.

In its 2nd year, this year's challenge targets high school students nationwide, combining SW·AI education with practical hackathon competitions to promote systematic capacity building. The event will be operated in a two-stage process, where participants will first enhance their algorithm and computing thinking skills through pre-online lectures, followed by on-site hackathons to solve real-life problems.

A total of 190 teams (570 participants) applied for this year's competition, with 40 teams (120 participants) advancing to the finals to implement fusion projects using AI teaching materials. Projects will be evaluated based on six criteria including creativity, completeness, and collaboration.

A total of 16 teams are expected to receive awards, with the top prize winners receiving the Minister of Science and ICT Award, the opportunity to participate in international competitions, and overseas training opportunities. In addition, 3 teams will receive the Best Award, while 4 teams each will be selected for Excellence, Encouragement, and Creativity Awards. All participants will be awarded the 'AI Coding Utilization Certificate (Level 1)'. Separate awards will also be given to outstanding mentors.

The SW·AI High School Challenge aims to provide high school students nationwide with a high-level digital education experience and is expected to expand into a hub for fostering regional AI talent in the future. Detailed information about the competition can be found on the official website (https://www.ebssw.kr/2025challenge).