The following rules ensure a fair, safe, and positive experience for all participants in the Virtual AI Challenge. Failure to adhere to these rules may result in disqualification.

• Participants: This challenge is open exclusively to students currently enrolled in Grades 6 through 12 (or equivalent level in non-US systems).

• Registration: All participants must register on the official Devpost page by the registration deadline.

• Team Size: Teams may consist of 1 to 4 members. All team members must meet the eligibility criteria.

• Duplicate Registration: Students may only register and participate in one team for the duration of the event.

• Original Work and AI Assistance: All submitted ideas and materials must be developed during the challenge period (December 13th – January 4th). The use of AI tools (like ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, etc.) to assist in coding, debugging, and ideation is completely permitted. However, the core logic, unique application, and final presentation must reflect the team's effort and understanding.

• Code Ownership: Participants retain full ownership of the intellectual property they create. By submitting, you grant the organizers (SAILea & SMART Hacks) permission to display your project description and demo video publicly for promotional and documentation purposes.

• Theme/Focus: Projects must demonstrate a clear application of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or Data Science principles to address a meaningful problem.

• Ethical Conduct: Projects must adhere to ethical guidelines. Submissions involving discriminatory, hateful, illegal, or unsafe content will result in immediate disqualification.

• Deadline: All components (Code Repository, Demo Video Link, and Devpost Write-up) must be submitted on time via the Devpost platform by the specified deadline on January 4th. Late submissions will not be accepted.

• Functionality: The demo video must accurately represent the project's current state. If the judges cannot access or run the code/demo due to missing dependencies or non-functional links, the project may receive a lower score or be disqualified.

• Clarity: All submission materials, including the code repository README, must be clear and complete enough for a judge to understand and potentially replicate the core functionality.

• Respect: All participants, organizers, judges, and mentors must be treated with respect. Harassment, bullying, and inappropriate communication of any kind are strictly prohibited.

• Collaboration: While external guidance (including AI tools and mentors) is acceptable, participants must ensure that the final submission is a true reflection of the team's work.

• Decision Finality: The decisions of the judges and the challenge organizers are final.