Samsung Launches 17th Annual Solve for Tomorrow Competition with AI Focus
The educational technology landscape sees a new expansion as Samsung announces the 17th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow STEM competition. This initiative targets U.S. public middle and high school students, aiming to bridge the gap between student interest in emerging technologies and formal classroom instruction. The program now includes a specific AI curriculum to address the lack of structured learning in public schools.
New Partnerships and AI Foundations Curriculum
Samsung has introduced Samsung Solve for Tomorrow: AI Foundations, a new curriculum developed in partnership with the Mark Cuban Foundation. This addition follows Samsung research indicating that while 95% of U.S. high school students have used AI, only 16% report that their schools provide formal AI education. To support educators, Samsung committed to reaching 100,000 teachers over the next five years with free training and curriculum resources.
The competition structure also sees technical and mentorship updates for this cycle:
- MIT Solve will now power the program, assisting in reviewing applications and identifying winning student solutions.
- Emma Grede returns as the Solve for Tomorrow Ambassador to provide mentorship on entrepreneurship to participating teams.
- One national winner is eligible to receive up to $50,000 in Samsung technology and resources for their classroom.
Timeline for Student Innovators
Spec-wise, the competition follows a strict multi-stage timeline for the 2026-2027 academic year. Applications for the program are due by November 23, 2026. Following the initial review, Samsung will announce the Promising Innovators and semi-finalists on January 20, 2027. The selection process concludes with the announcement of national finalists on March 18, 2027.
Addressing the Educational Gap
What stands out visually in this program expansion is the shift toward practical AI literacy. By providing resources directly to 100,000 teachers, the initiative attempts to move AI from a casual consumer tool into a structured academic discipline. S. public classrooms through hardware grants and specialized software curricula.
95% of U.S. high school students have used AI, but just 16% say their school provides classes or lessons on how to use it.
— Samsung
Future Outlook for STEM Programs
Whether the new AI Foundations curriculum successfully improves student proficiency in machine learning remains to be seen as the first cohort begins the program. For schools lacking modern technology budgets, the $50,000 prize package represents a significant opportunity to upgrade classroom hardware. The involvement of MIT Solve suggests a more rigorous academic vetting process for student projects than in previous years.