The students will solve tasks in language models, image recognition and machine learning. The prize fund is one million kroner.
“We want to show that UiA students are among the best in the country in machine learning,” says Thomas Joon Hetland, an AI master’s student and organiser of the event at the University of Agder.
The championship is organised by Astar Consulting. UiA’s Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (CAIR) is a partner. The aim is to create a physical meeting place where participants can be part of an active AI community during the competition.
“With AI NM, we are strengthening Campus Grimstad’s position as a leading AI environment and an attractive place for students and companies that want to be at the forefront of artificial intelligence,” says Hetland.
UiA is so far the only university to have entered into a formal partnership agreement with Astar for the event. The organisers at Astar are pleased with the collaboration.
“With a strong academic community in Southern Norway and world-leading research behind it, CAIR brings a very special energy to the AI Championship 2026,” they write in a statement on AI NM’s LinkedIn page.
Hoping for 50 participants
The competition is open to companies, individuals and students. Hetland hopes many from UiA will take part.
“We hope that up to 50 technology students will participate. With a prize fund of one million kroner, there is a strong incentive to work almost around the clock during the competition,” he says.
Live broadcast of opening ceremony at Campus Grimstad on 19 March
The local event begins with an opening ceremony at Campus Grimstad on the afternoon of 19 March. Professor Ole-Christoffer Granmo, named Norway’s leading AI researcher for the period 2012–2022, will give a talk. So will industry founder and former UiA student Christoffer Jørgenvåg.
Dean Anne Cathrine Gjærde from the Faculty of Engineering and Science will officially open the event.
The competition itself is launched via a live stream from the innovation hub Mesh in Oslo. The tasks are distributed simultaneously to venues across the country, marking the start of three days of competition.
