Think
Growth
AI
www.tga.org
About
the lnitiative
The Tech for Global Advancement – AI City Challenge is more than an academic competition — it is a response to one of the most urgent educational imperatives of our time: equipping the next generation with the cognitive, ethical, and creative tools to design livable, equitable, and sustainable urban futures.
Hosted annually in Singapore — a city renowned for its smart infrastructure, multiethnic harmony, and strategic AI governance — the Challenge invites students aged 10 to 14 into a high-impact educational arena. Here, young learners do not merely consume content; they construct knowledge, debate solutions, and simulate the work of urban planners, policymakers, technologists, and citizens.
The Challenge is framed not as a STEM fair, but as an early simulation of civic and technological foresight. Participants move through problem framing, research synthesis, applied AI reasoning, design prototyping, and live academic defense — all under real-world constraints and authentic academic mentorship.
In an age where most youth competitions rely on templates and memorization, TGA prioritizes open-ended rigor, systems literacy, and ethical imagination. It bridges the gap between early education and future leadership.
By 2050, more than 6.7 billion people — over two-thirds of humanity — will live in urban areas. According to UN-Habitat, cities will generate 80% of global GDP but will also consume over 75% of all natural resources. Urban problems will no longer be “local”—they will define global well-being.
Meanwhile, artificial intelligence is reshaping public policy, healthcare, mobility, housing, and civic engagement. Yet, UNESCO warns that fewer than 10% of global students receive structured education in AI ethics and systems thinking before age 16.
The AI City Challenge confronts this gap head-on. It does not isolate “AI” as a coding skill but embeds it in real, messy, human contexts — like traffic congestion, pollution hotspots, youth isolation, or gentrification. It encourages learners to ask: "How might AI make our communities more just, not just more efficient?"
- AI literacy not as a tool, but as a worldview
- Urban design not as infrastructure, but as justice
- Education not as memorization, but as agency
- Cities not as buildings, but as ecosystems of values
The Challenge is thus a microcosm of future leadership. It positions children not as future users of technology, but as current co-designers of tomorrow’s society.
Backed by frameworks such as the OECD Learning Compass 2030, UN SDG 11, and Singapore’s Smart Nation blueprint, the Challenge ensures that every participant is aligned with global competencies — and prepared to make a real-world difference.
Structure & Challenge Format
Cohort Logistics
Age Range: 10–14 (middle years)
Team Size: 8 students
Language: English (visual bilingual support allowed)
Host Location: Singapore (lecture hall at a Tier-1 university)
Duration: 7 days (immersive project-based experience)
Challenge Components
1. Problem Identification – Teams must choose a real urban issue
2. Research & Framing – Draw from public datasets, urban fieldwork, expert talks
3. AI Application – Select an AI concept and explain the logic
4. Design Solution – Visualize the idea using models, maps, etc.
5. Presentation + Defense – Deliver a 10-minute live pitch and respond to 3 minutes of panel Q&A
- Client: Envato Market
- Date: April 2023
- Author: Paul Trueman
Judging & Evaluation Framework
Judging Panel
Professors from the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), AI Singapore, and smart city labs.
Rubric Dimensions
- AI Logic & Technical Soundness: 25%
- Urban Systems Understanding: 20%
- Innovation & Creativity: 20%
- Design Communication & Clarity: 15%
- Defense Rigor & Responsiveness: 10%
- Team Integration & Role Equity: 10%
Awards include Champion Team, Runner-Up Team, Best Use of AI in a Civic Context, and more.
Visit website
What Makes This Difficult
This Is Not a STEM Fair
This is:
- An AI-integrated urban systems design challenge
- Where solutionism is not rewarded, but systems complexity is
- Where students must defend their assumptions and reflect on social impacts
- Where visual clarity must complement logical depth
Students must:
- Work across 5–6 domains
- Handle unstructured ambiguity
- Translate abstract concepts into audience-centered presentation
Educational Value
Multidimensional Outcomes
- AI Literacy
- Urban Ecology & Systems Logic
- Public Speaking
- Research Thinking
- Ethical Foresight
- Collaboration Strategy
Aligned to:
- UNESCO Learning for 2030 Agenda
- IB ATL Categories
- Singapore’s “Smart Nation” framework
Verification System
Each participant receives a TGA Certified ID Code. Check a certificate by entering a code like TGA-CERT-04921-LZ and retrieving details such as name, award, and issuer verification.
Testimonials
“I now understand the structure of a city—not just the buildings, but the systems.” — Wang Jiatong, 13
“When we were asked ‘Why does this AI matter to people who aren’t you?’—that changed how I saw design.” — Chen Meilin, 12
“The professors didn’t ask us if our idea ‘worked’. They asked us: ‘Why should it exist?’” — Li Jiahao, 14
Global Context & Alignment
TGA works in alignment with:
- UN SDG 11
- OECD Learning Compass 2030
- AI Literacy for Youth (WEF)
- Singapore’s Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)
- Global Urban Futures Lab
Partnership & Participation
For Schools & Institutions
We offer:
- Academic alignment documents
- Co-branded delivery
- Team recruitment & prep support
- Teacher training & certification
- Media & visibility resources
Email: hello@tga.org
Website: www.tga.org
HQ: Singapore | Office: Shenzhen
