- membership increased by 30 % compared to 2023
- The purpose of the competition is to teach kids AI programming skills.
The National Youth Tech Championship ( NYTC ) made a second appearance in 2024 with a goal of educating and inspiring young minds through artificial intelligence. The premier youth tech competition, co-organized by the Infocomm Media Development Authority ( IMDA ) and Google Cloud, attracted 300 student participants this year, a 30 % increase over the previous year.
According to the co-organisers, this week’s NYTC placed a stronger emphasis on equipping individuals with Artificial programming knowledge. Training covered important AI concepts like conceptual AI, deep fakes, and machine learning.  ,
Individuals in NYTC 2024 demonstrated more advanced applications of AI than in previous years, reflecting the rapid advancement of technology. They made use of Vertex AI from Google Cloud to build intelligent drone systems that could perform complex tasks in a variety of settings, opening up new applications for drones in various industries. This is in line with the objectives of the National AI Strategy 2.0 ( NAIS 2 ).
From 29 June to 19 July 2024, the participants at the IMDA and Google Asia Pacific schools developed AI abilities, learned to code in Python, and developed an understanding of equipment understanding. Additionally, teams received drones to taking home and took part in online training sessions. Eventually, they practiced their new abilities by operating the drones on their own, learning to plan and work together throughout the contest.
NYTC 2024 culminated in the playoffs at Our Tampines Hub, featuring a novel “ninja warrior” problem program. The top two teams competed in an AI aircraft newcastle, showcasing strong Artificial and problem-solving skills, agility, tenacity, and teamwork to manage their drones through the course freely.  ,
The winning teams were Raffles Institution ( first place ), Dunman High School ( second place ), Anglo-Chinese School ( Independent ) ( third place ), and Damai Secondary School ( fourth place ). The winners will also get to experience an engaging Google Cloud experience for a week-long tech stint at IMDA.
No programming experience was necessary, according to Doreen Tan, assistant chief executive of Strategic Planning and Digital Readiness at IMDA, and the kids fast learned, demonstrating style throughout the completely automatic aircraft competition. The bottom four teams will be welcome at IMDA, she added, for additional software exposure.
However, Serene Sia, region director, Singapore, Google Cloud said,” NYTC 2024 showcased the potential of AI to encourage young minds and pull development”. She added that Google Cloud is committed to working with IMDA to prepare Singapore’s children for the next wave of technology officials.
NYTC is piece of IMDA’s Infocomm Media Clubs program, which provides a program for members to learn, thrive, and been recognised for their efforts. More details about the program can be found below.