Inaugural I/ITSEC AI Hackathon

About this event

Inaugural I/ITSEC AI Hackathon

Join us for the inaugural AI Hackathon at I/ITSEC 2026 and show how you can leverage modern AI coding tools to create a proof-of-concept solution to a pressing defense-tech challenge from the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD).

Register now to get your spot to solve the Challenge!

This event is limited to 10 teams (individuals or groups).

There is no charge to participate.

CHALLENGE SUMMARY

Trust Your Synthetic Teammates. Or Not.

The proliferation of AI products, including in critical and high-risk decision domains, requires prudence in both application and operator training. Failure to trust critical system outputs, recommendations, or conclusions could be catastrophic in time-critical contexts. But trusting them if they are wrong could be equally catastrophic.

Create an engaging gameplay or simulation for one or more players that reinforces effective teaming and trust-calibration strategies in a Human-Autonomy Interaction (HAI) context. The solution should help players learn when to trust and when to distrust AI-enabled teammates. The experience should balance human trust with actual AI capability and reward effective trust calibration while mitigating complacency, misuse, disuse, mistrust, and distrust.

Participating in this inaugural Hackathon will provide you with several opportunities.

• Help demonstrate the validity of using Agentic AI for software development and support a rethinking of how software is developed from requirements gathering to testing and maintenance.

• Meet key representatives from NAWCTSD to learn more about the need for solutions to the challenge.

• Present your solution to representatives from NAWCTSD and other organizations for a chance to win recognition and promotion of your/your team’s solution.

• Create, learn, and share best practices for AI-driven development, helping drive the state of the art in this exciting technology.

• See your best practices in action during the Serious Games Professional Development Workshop (PDW) on Thursday, December 4, to ground attendees in real-world examples and insights.

• Help prove the feasibility of and set the bar for future AI Hackathons at I/ITSEC.

The Hackathon will take place over the four days of I/ITSEC in the following format.

Participant Briefing: Monday, 11/30: 1400-1430 @ Discovery Den (Booth 2395)

• A representative from NAWCTSD will participate to explain the challenge in more detail and answer questions. Hackathon facilitators will explain the Hackathon guidelines and schedule.

• Teams work on solutions independently: Monday, 11/30 – Thursday, 12/3

• Teams are responsible for providing their own equipment, AI tools and credits, game engines, etc.

Presentations/Winner selection: Thursday, 12/3: 1100-1230 @ Discovery Den (Booth 2396)

• The winner will be recognized in the Serious Games Professional Development Workshop, highlighted in NTSA and Central Florida Tech Grove social media, and provided the opportunity to help plan the 2027 AI Hackathon.

• Lessons learned and examples from the Hackathon will be utilized in the Serious Games Professional Development Workshop (PDW), Thursday, December 3, 1300-1600, Room 310C.

Seth Crofton, Kishan Shetty, and Vance Souders, members of the Serious Games Competition and Showcase Committee, will facilitate both the Serious Games PDW and the AI hackathon. Together, the trio has over half a century of experience in technology, innovation, and immersive development. All three of them will be available during I/ITSEC to answer questions and provide feedback.

Have questions? Email Seth Crofton at SethCrofton@gmail.com

From NTSA EcosySTEM of Learning