AI Grand Challenges Act of 2026

Summary

The AI Grand Challenges Act of 2026 authorizes the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish a program to award prizes for artificial intelligence (AI) research and development that addresses specific, well-defined "grand challenges." The key provisions of the bill include:

Purpose and Intent

• Establish the "AI Grand Challenges Program" to spur innovation in AI research, development, and commercialization
• Identify and select AI grand challenges in areas such as national security, health, energy, transportation, and cross-cutting AI capabilities
• Require a grand challenge focused on using AI to advance medical breakthroughs for addressing lethal forms of cancer

Key Provisions

• Direct the NSF Director, in coordination with the National AI Advisory Committee, to establish the prize competition program within 12 months of enactment
• Require the NSF Director to consult with relevant federal agencies and seek public input to identify and select the AI grand challenges
• Mandate that the NSF Director establish specific problem statements, success metrics, and validation protocols for each grand challenge
• Direct the NSF Director to award at least $10 million in cash prizes for the cancer-focused grand challenge

Affected Parties and Impact

• The program would provide incentives and funding for academic, private sector, and other researchers and developers to tackle high-impact AI challenges
• Potential breakthroughs from the grand challenges could benefit the general public in areas like national security, public health, and the environment
• The cancer-focused challenge in particular could lead to advancements that improve outcomes and quality of life for those affected by cancer

Overall, the AI Grand Challenges Act aims to harness the power of AI to address some of the country's most pressing challenges through a competitive prize program overseen by the NSF.