KISTI Calls for Participants in the "Problem Solving" Track of the "2026 DATA·AI Analysis Competition"

- Seeking data and AI talent to address seven on-site challenges

- Seven teams to receive awards including the speaker of the national assembly award, along with opportunities for academic presentations and joint research

□ The Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (President Sik Lee, hereafter KISTI) announced on October 16 that it is accepting applications until November 6 for the "Problem Solving" track, the second stage of the "2026 DATA·AI Analysis Competition.“

□ Organized by KISTI and co-hosted by the National Research Council of Science and Technology (NST), the National Assembly Library, Daejeon Metropolitan City, the Korea Coast Guard, K-water, and the Daejeon Jung-gu District Office, this annual competition aims to address various societal and scientific challenges using data and artificial intelligence (AI).

□ Divided into two sequential tracks, the competition previously collected real-world challenges faced by research institutes, public organizations, and universities through the "Problem Discovery" track held through early September. Following an evaluation process, seven finalized challenges were selected for the "Problem Solving" track and made public on the DataON Competition website.

□ This year's challenges in the Problem Solving track strongly emphasize a convergent nature that requires combining datasets from different domains. A primary example is the challenge proposed by the Jeonju Weather Station, titled 'AI-Based Black Ice Risk Analysis for Jeonbuk Expressways Using Integrated Meteorological and Road Environment Data,' which analyzes weather, road weather, and road environment data to prevent highway black ice accidents and complement the existing assessment system for vulnerable road sections. Additionally, K-water proposed 'Developing a 7-Day AI Forecasting Model for Harmful Cyanobacteria (Algal Blooms) in Dams and Rivers Based on Water-Hydrology-Meteorological Data Convergence' to proactively respond to algal blooms and support intake source operations. Other selected challenges include early prediction of infectious disease outbreaks using wastewater surveillance data and track data analysis to prevent fishing vessel accidents.

□ Following the competition, document and presentation evaluations will be conducted to award seven outstanding teams. Honors include the National Assembly Speaker Award (KRW 3 million prize money), the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Award (KRW 2 million prize money), as well as Awards from the Chief Librarian of the National Assembly Library, the Mayor of Daejeon Metropolitan City, the Commissioner General of the Korea Coast Guard, the CEO of K-water, and the Head of Daejeon Jung-gu District Office (KRW 1 million prize money for each award, one team per category). High-performing awardees will also be granted opportunities to present at academic conferences and participate in follow-up joint research projects.

□ Anyone interested in data analysis and utilization can participate in the Problem Solving track either as an individual or as a team of up to four members. Detailed information is available on the competition website (https://dataon.kr/competition).

□ DataON is Korea's National Research Data Platform operated by KISTI, facilitating the centralized search and utilization of research data scattered across domestic and international institutions. Launched in 2020, the platform currently connects major domestic research organizations with global platforms, including Europe's OpenAIRE, the U.S.'s Harvard Dataverse, Australia's ARDC, and Japan's RCOS, offering access to approximately 4.5 million datasets.

2026 DATA·AI Analysis Competition Poster

List of Selected Challenges for the Problem Solving Track