Applications for the Futurescot AI Challenge 2026 closed on Wednesday 17 June, marking the end of the entry window and the start of the review and shortlisting process.
We were delighted and encouraged by the response from public sector organisations across Scotland, with ideas submitted from local government, NHS Scotland, Scottish Government and its agencies, and arm’s-length organisations.
Kevin O’Sullivan, Editor of Futurescot, said: “We’ve been really pleased and heartened by the response to this year’s Challenge. It’s clear that public sector organisations across Scotland continue to see real potential in AI to improve services and make better use of limited resources. We’re looking forward to working with our challenge partner Storm ID and the shortlisted teams over the coming months as they develop their ideas into practical proofs of concept.”
Entries will now be assessed against a consistent set of criteria, shaped by the priorities in Scotland’s AI Strategy and the themes identified in a white paper from our Challenge partner, Storm ID – Automate Tasks, Not Jobs. Submissions will be evaluated on:
- Social impact – the potential to deliver meaningful improvements for citizens, communities and staff
- Responsibility, ethics & trust – alignment with Scotland’s AI Strategy, AI Register and AI Playbook
- Scalability & reusability – potential to scale or be adopted elsewhere across the public sector
- Innovation & applicability – thoughtful, effective use of AI to solve a real public service challenge
- Feasibility & value for money – a realistic, deliverable route to implementation
- Sustainability – support for long-term public service reform, including Net Zero alignment
Shortlisted organisations will be supported by our Challenge partner, Storm ID, to develop their ideas into proofs of concept over the summer. Shortlisted ideas will then go to a public Audience Choice vote, with the winner announced at Digital Scotland 2026 on 24 November at the EICC, Edinburgh.
For more information please visit the AI Challenge website.