AI Grand Challenges Act of 2026

This bill would require the National Science Foundation to set up an "AI Grand Challenges Program" within 12 months to award cash prizes for artificial intelligence research that solves or advances defined problems in areas such as national security, health, energy, agriculture, and AI safety. The program must include at least one challenge on using AI to address deadly forms of cancer, with at least $10 million awarded to each winner. Other winners would receive at least $1 million each, and prize winners must be U.S.-based companies or U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The agency could accept outside funding and would report winners and program activities to Congress, and the White House science office would coordinate federal agencies to publish data sets for scientific challenges.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Cory A. Booker Democrat sponsor
• 2 cosponsors