smart_toy

AI Theme Song & Video Challenge

Explore AI through creativity, critical thinking, and real world problem solving

As part of the Periyar 148 celebrations, Periyar International USA is launching an exciting initiative to inspire young minds to explore the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence through creativity, critical thinking, and real world problem solving. Rooted in Periyar’s values of rational thinking, scientific inquiry, and social responsibility, this program encourages participants to use AI not simply as a technology, but as a tool to address meaningful challenges and create positive social impact.

Event Details:

  • 📅 Date: Workshop and submissions lead up to the Periyar 148 Birthday Celebration on Saturday, September 19, 2026, where top projects are recognized.
  • 📍 Where: Online (virtual workshop and online project submission) Sunday, August 30, 2026 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM CST.
  • 👥 Who can participate: Youth interested in exploring AI through creativity and problem solving.
  • 📝 How to join: Meeting link will be shared for the registered participants.

General Rules:

  • Format: Begins with a hands-on introductory workshop covering the fundamentals of Generative AI, prompt engineering, and responsible AI practices using freely available tools.
  • Eligibility: Open to all youth participants; no prior AI experience required.
  • Recognition: Projects are evaluated on creativity, innovation, practical impact, critical thinking, and the effective and responsible use of AI.

Specific Rules — Challenge Tracks:

Participants apply their learning by taking part in one of several engaging challenge tracks, including:

  • AI Creative Challenge: Compose original theme songs, videos, or digital stories on social causes.
  • AI Problem Solving Challenge: Build AI assistants or automated workflows that solve real world problems.
  • AI Interactive Experience Challenge: Create browser-based games, simulations, or educational applications using AI coding tools.
  • Responsible AI Challenge: Identify misinformation, verify AI generated content, and design trustworthy AI solutions.
  • Prompt Engineering Challenge: Demonstrate how effective prompting can produce outstanding AI generated content.

Featured Track: AI Theme Song & Video Challenge

Objective: Participants are given a theme or social cause (for example: humanity, equality, environmental sustainability, kindness, innovation, education, or social responsibility) and are asked to create an original AI-generated theme song and accompanying video. The emphasis is not only on the final creative output but also on how effectively participants use prompts to guide AI toward the desired result.

Participants may create:

  • Original song lyrics
  • AI-composed background music
  • AI-generated vocals or voice cloning
  • AI avatars or animated characters
  • AI-generated music videos
  • Narrated videos using AI voices
  • Animated visual storytelling

Suggested free AI tools: Participants may use any suitable AI platform, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Suno AI, Udio, Canva AI, CapCut AI, Pika, Luma AI, HeyGen (free tier), ElevenLabs (free tier), or any other equivalent AI creative tool.

Deliverables:

  • Final video
  • Audio/song file
  • Prompt document (or prompt history)
  • Optional: short explanation of the creative process

Evaluation Criteria: Creativity and originality, relevance to the assigned theme, effective use of AI prompting, quality of storytelling and presentation, and overall impact.

More than a competition, this initiative aims to establish a long-term AI learning community for youth, fostering curiosity, collaboration, ethical innovation, and scientific thinking. By empowering the next generation to question, experiment, and create, Periyar International continues its commitment to promoting knowledge, rationalism, and social progress through education and technology.