AiEO Visibility Challenge

Challenge Statement  

How might we better understand and improve how generative AI systems represent Canadian organizations, programs and communities? AiEO (Artificial Intelligence Engine Optimization) is designed to make content, websites, and brand information easy to find, understand, and be trusted by AI-powered search engines, chatbots, and virtual assistants.

As generative AI becomes a primary gateway to information, visibility within these systems increasingly shapes who and what is seen, trusted, and accessed. This challenge asks students to critically examine AI-generated responses, uncover gaps and inaccuracies and explore how improved representation can support fairness, access and digital equity across Canada. 

Participants in this challenge will explore:  

• What Canadian organizations, programs or communities are consistently visible in AI-generated responses and which are overlooked?  

• Where does misinformation or incomplete information appear and why?  

• How might these visibility patterns affect access to jobs, skills training, funding or public services?  

• What practical interventions could improve accuracy, representation or accountability in AI systems? 

 

The findings will help strengthen how Canadian organizations and communities are represented in AI systems that increasingly influence public understanding and decision-making. 

STAGE 1: Registration, Research and Analysis 

 

February 9 - March 1 

Form a team of 2-4 students and begin investigating how generative AI tools represent Canadian organizations, programs and communities.  

Your team will design a set of real-world questions and test them across multiple platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Perplexity. From the results of your tests, document patterns in visibility, accuracy and misinformation, with attention to differences across regions, sectors and populations. Your team should clearly articulate what they are observing and why it matters. 

During this stage, teams should focus on building a strong evidence base through structured testing, comparison and analysis. 

Teams will submit a PDF slide presentation (up to 10 slides long) that outlines: 

• A structured summary of your research approach and findings.

• Clear documentation of visibility gaps, inaccuracies or misinformation identified.

 

Submit your slides by 11:59 PM (ET) on March 1. Judges will review and score your submissions between March 2-4, and up to 25 teams will be selected to advance to Stage 2 of the challenge. Teams will be notified of the results on March 4.

  

STAGE 2: Solution Design

 

March 4 - March 22 

In Stage 2, teams will translate insights into action. Building on the gaps and challenges you've identified in Stage 1, your team will now develop a proposed solution aimed at improving accuracy, representation, or transparency in AI-generated responses. Solutions may take the form of a tool, framework, strategy, policy recommendation or other practical intervention aimed at improving accuracy and representation in AI-generated outputs. 

Teams will refine their narrative, clearly connecting their research findings to their proposed solution and prepare materials that communicate both the problem and the opportunity effectively. 

Teams will submit a video presentation (up to 5 minutes long) that outlines: 

• A detailed overview of your solution, including an optional prototype demonstration.

• How this solution addresses the challenges you uncovered in Phase 1.

 

Submit your slides by 11:59 PM (ET) on March 22. Judges will review and score your submissions, and the top 5 teams will be selected to advance to Stage 3 – the Final Pitch! The results will be shared with all teams on the evening of March 25. 

  

STAGE 3: Final Pitch

 

March 30 

The top 5 finalist teams are invited to pitch their solution in front of a jury at a live virtual event on March 30. Your team’s pitch will highlight key findings, demonstrate the significance of the visibility issues uncovered and present your proposed solution and its potential impact. This stage emphasizes clarity, insight and practical relevance, giving students the opportunity to showcase their analytical thinking, creativity and communication skills. 

Teams will have up to 10 minutes to present their solution, followed by a question period from the jury. At the end of the finale, the winners will be announced!