AI Challenge
The Futurescot AI Challenge 2026 is a competition to bring together Scottish public sector organisations to solve problems through the use of Artificial Intelligence. Public voting to choose the winning finalist is now open until the 16th of November.
The challenge process
The Futurescot AI Challenge is designed to help public sector organisations move from a promising AI idea to a clearer, more developed proof of concept. From the opening of entries in April through to the final stage at Digital Scotland in November, the process gives applicants the opportunity to shape their ideas, learn from peers, and understand what makes a strong submission.
Alongside the application window, we ran a series of sector-focused webinars to help organisations explore relevant use cases, reflect on common challenges, and consider how ideas could be developed into practical, scalable proofs of concept. Following shortlisting, the selected organisations were supported through the proof of concept phase, and the Challenge culminates in a final showcase of the finalists at Digital Scotland 2026.
You be the judge
This year we are taking a different approach to past Challenges. Rather than a judging panel deciding the winner, we are opening the decision up to a public vote. Simply watch the videos below and vote for a favourite.
The vote will close on the 16th of November.
We will announce the winner at Digital Scotland on the 24th of November 2026 at the EICC, where all three teams will present their work.
Shortlisted finalists
Following a strong response from across Scotland’s public sector, three organisations have been selected to progress to the final stage of the 2026 Futurescot AI Challenge. The finalists were supported by Storm ID to test and develop their ideas into proofs of concept with real potential for public service impact.
Qualifications Scotland
Using AI to analyse thousands of marker reports, identify common themes and generate consistent insights to support assessment and teaching.
Fife Council
Exploring how AI and automation could support the checking of school enrolment applications and documentation, reducing administrative workload for school staff.
Scottish Courts & Tribunals Service
Using AI and large language models to assess legacy applications and help determine whether systems should be retained, refactored or replaced.
Judging criteria
Entries were assessed at the shortlisting stage against a consistent set of criteria. These criteria were shaped to reflect the priorities set out in Scotland’s AI Strategy, alongside the practical themes identified in Storm ID’s Automate Tasks, Not Jobs white paper, including impact, responsibility, scalability, reuse and deliverability. They are worth bearing in mind as you watch the finalists’ videos and cast your vote.
Social impact
Potential to deliver meaningful improvements for citizens, communities, service users and staff, including measurable gains in service quality, productivity, resilience or workforce capacity.
Responsibility, Ethics & Trust
Alignment with core principles and practices outlined in Scotland’s National AI Strategy, AI Register and AI Playbook
Scalability & reusability
Shows strong potential to scale within the organisation or be adopted elsewhere across the public sector, particularly where the approach makes use of reusable components, shared capabilities, repeatable delivery patterns or common service problems.
Innovation & applicability
Applies data and AI in a thoughtful and effective way to a real public service challenge, especially where it focuses on automating tasks rather than jobs, augmenting workforce capacity, or combining existing tools and components in a smart, high-value way.
Feasibility & value for money
Presents a realistic, affordable and deliverable route to implementation, with a clear understanding of dependencies, constraints, expected benefits and overall value for money.
Sustainability
Supports sustainable public service reform over time, including consideration of operational sustainability, maintainability and alignment with Net Zero and carbon reduction ambitions.
About the challenge
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help public sector organisations work more productively, make better use of limited resources and improve the services they deliver. The Futurescot AI Challenge is designed to help organisations across Scotland turn promising AI ideas into practical use cases and proofs of concept that can deliver real operational and service impact.
The Challenge is open to all public sector organisations in Scotland, including the Scottish Government and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), Local Government, Health and Social Care, and arm’s-length organisations (ALEOs). Shortlisted organisations have the opportunity to progress their ideas through to proof of concept with Storm ID.
The Futurescot AI Challenge was conceived by Futurescot and our technology partner, Storm ID, built on a shared ambition to accelerate responsible, high-value use of AI across Scotland’s public sector.
In 2026, the Challenge culminates in a more participative final stage, giving public sector peers the opportunity to review the shortlisted proofs of concept and vote for a winner ahead of Digital Scotland 2026.