South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT said on Monday it has launched the 2026 Data+AI Innovation Challenge, bringing together competitions in the data and AI fields, and has started recruiting participants for the first category. Applications run from May 13 to July 30.

The Innovation Challenge integrates data-related competitions that were previously run separately. It consists of four categories: the Data+AI Creator Camp, Data Safe Zone, Data Problem Solving and the Big Contest.

The Creator Camp, which opens first, is a hands-on programme in which teams of 4 to 5 high school and university students take part. Participants experience the full process, from data collection to designing AI models and establishing execution strategies, using real social issues as themes, including social safety and welfare, transport and urban problems, and the environment and infrastructure. Teams will receive additional points if members from schools outside the capital area account for 50 percent or more of the team.

The remaining three categories will be held sequentially from Sept. 1. In the Data Safe Zone category, participants identify analysis ideas using undisclosed data that is not released externally. In the Data Problem Solving category, they propose ways to resolve pending issues in areas such as manufacturing, distribution and the environment using open data or data held by companies. The Big Contest category will be run as an AI and data modelling competition using data from sponsoring companies.

The ministry plans to hold an integrated awards ceremony in December during 2026 Cloud·Data Promotion Week.

Choi Dong-won (최동원), director-general for AI Infrastructure Policy at the ministry, said integrating separate competitions into a single challenge is meant to further encourage challenges and innovation in the data and AI fields. He added that he hopes participants will be able to take part more conveniently in programmes that match their capabilities and areas of interest.