The event drew a record-breaking 14,000 participants from over 400 institutions, resulting in 3,200 project submissions. After regional rounds in both countries, 119 teams advanced to the final stage in Shanghai’s AI Innovation Town. Projects were evaluated on technical feasibility, innovation, and potential for industrial application, with teams utilizing artificial intelligence, big data, and IoT to address sustainable development challenges.

During the award ceremony, officials including China’s Vice Minister of Education REN Youqun and U.S. Consul for Public Affairs Michael D. Quinlan emphasized the role of the competition as a bridge for bilateral relations. The competition awarded prizes across main and vocational tracks, with Tsinghua University and several vocational institutions recognized for their organizational efforts. Organizers confirmed that the competition has engaged over 90,000 participants since its 2014 inception. Moving forward, the committee plans to partner with Zhangjiang-based incubators and venture capital firms to transition winning prototypes from the competition stage into marketable technologies.