IOAI 2025 Syllabus
The International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI) is a premier global competition for high school students, aiming to cultivate both a strong theoretical foundation and hands-on expertise in Artificial Intelligence. This syllabus outlines the topics contestants should master to excel in the competition. Each year, the IOAI International Scientific Committee (ISC) updates the official syllabus to reflect the latest research findings and educational priorities in the field.
Topic Classifications
The topics are categorized into three distinct sections, indicating the level and nature of knowledge contestants need:
1. Theory (How it works)
Contestants should thoroughly understand core concepts and theoretical underpinnings—essentially, the “why” behind AI. This may involve studying textbooks courses, and other resources to delve into the mechanics that power AI algorithms.
2. Practice (What it does, when to use it, and how to implement it)
Contestants should develop the practical skills necessary to implement AI methods in code. This includes knowing how to use library functions effectively, call the method on a particular data, and interpret outputs.
Example: While a contestant need not fully dissect the internal workings of the Adam optimizer, they should be able to decide when and how to employ it.
3. Both
Certain topics require knowledge of both theoretical principles and practical application.
This structured approach ensures that contestants acquire the right balance of conceptual insight and hands-on proficiency across the diverse array of AI topics.