Several Indian-American students were recognized at the White House by First Lady Melania Trump for their achievements in the Presidential AI Challenge. Among them was a team from Aldie, Virginia, comprising Aarna Jaiswal, Eshani Khatri, Riva Madda, Samhitha Pinnamareddy, and Sanuli Rathnayake, whose “Friendzone Chatbot Bullying Prevention App” secured the national title in the Elementary School Track 2 category. Additionally, Viha Iyer, Arya Pratap, and Shrimayi Shetty from NorthStar Middle School in Sammamish, Washington, won in the Middle School Track 1 category with their project, “SkillUp.”
Khandakar Mahin of Upper Darby Senior High School in Pennsylvania emerged as the national champion in the high school division for his project, “Utilising Computer Vision for Hotel Room Identification in Criminal Investigations.” First Lady Melania Trump commended the students during the awards ceremony, hailing them as the future innovators of America and emphasizing the importance of encouraging innovation and exploration in artificial intelligence.
The Presidential AI Challenge, which attracted over 20,000 participants from various states and schools, aimed to foster creativity and AI exploration among young minds. The event showcased winning projects that tackled diverse issues such as education, bullying prevention, criminal investigations, and accessibility for visually impaired individuals. The ceremony also honored educator champion teams and highlighted the significance of AI literacy and innovation in education policy.
