Inclusive & Secure AI For Everyone (iSAFE) Hackathon 2026
Internet Safety & Digital Trust Innovation Challenge
Hackathons at the WSIS Forum have historically served as platforms for innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and applied problem-solving. They complement the multistakeholder discussions of the Forum by engaging the global innovation community to build solutions that contribute to WSIS Action Lines and sustainable development goals.
The iSAFE Hackathon 2026 is a global innovation challenge designed to harness the power of technology and generative artificial intelligence to address emerging threats in online environments, empower digital citizens, and strengthen trust in digital systems.
The hackathon brings together diverse teams from around the world representing all stakeholder types, from students, researchers, innovators, developers, and early-stage entrepreneurs, with the aim of producing proof of concepts and practical, deployable solutions that advance internet safety, digital trust, and the ethical use of AI.
Participants will engage in a structured competition that culminates in virtual presentations and the announcement of winners during the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2026.
What is the Hackathon About?
The CyberPeace Institute and the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2026, in collaboration with other stakeholders, are organizing a Global Hackathon to by focusing on internet safety, digital trust, and the ethical deployment of generative technologies, aligning with evolving global priorities in digital policy and governance, all in line with the WSIS Action Lines and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The winners will be announced during the WSIS Forum 2026, to be held in Geneva, Switzerland from 6-10 July 2026.
5 Challenge Areas
1
Detect the Deceptive: Tracing Synthetic Realities
Develop tools powered by generative AI that can detect, authenticate, and trace the origin of synthetic content — including deepfakes, AI-generated media, and fabricated text — across platforms.
2
Defend the Digital Citizen: AI for Protection and Empowerment
Create AI-powered systems that proactively educate, guide, and protect users from scams, frauds, misinformation, and emerging online threats.
3
Building the Guardrails of Trustworthy AI
Design testable safety mechanisms that enhance transparency, reduce bias, and ensure that generative AI systems align with human and societal values.
4
Create for Peace: Generative AI for Social Good and Digital Civility
Build AI-driven solutions that foster empathy, positive behaviour, and resilience against digital toxicity, polarization, and social fragmentation.
5
Enhancing the CyberPeace Chatbot with Generative & Agentic AI
Expand the capabilities of the existing CyberPeace chatbot into an intelligent, context-aware digital peace agent using generative and agentic AI frameworks.
Participation Process
The iSAFE Hackathon is open to individuals and teams (up to 3 members) worldwide. Participants will register, propose solutions, and progress through a shortlisting phase, mentorship period, and final virtual presentations.
Top 20 individuals/teams will be shortlisted for the Finale. Mentors from the UN system, industry, academia, and policy experts will guide finalists to refine their solutions.
Successful teams will present their prototypes to an expert jury during the finalist phase leading up to the WSIS Forum 2026.
Timeline
During WSIS Forum 2026
Prizes and Opportunities
US$20,000 worth of prizes for winning teams
Internship opportunities at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Potential incubation support for standout ideas to develop into startups.
Software licences and cloud credits to support continued innovation.
Who can apply and how?
The iSAFE Hackathon calls on creators and developers to form age-diverse teams of 2-3 and participate in the virtual hackathon.
Apply if you…
- …are passionate about technology and innovation for positive and economic/social impact.
- …would like to realize the promises of the information era and advance globally the digital economies by leveraging emerging technologies.
- …are in a team of motivated people and you would like to further develop your idea or an existing project
- …understand and can create solutions that are intrinsically useful and appealing.
Who Should Join
- Students and youth innovators
- Developers and technologists
- Researchers and academics
- Policy thinkers and social entrepreneurs
- Multidisciplinary teams from around the world
All submissions will be evaluated through a fair, transparent process based on relevance, feasibility, impact, and scalability.
A Hacka… what?
A Hackathon is a powerful tool to innovate by bringing together diverse actors who do not usually work together. The format embraces the complexity of challenges, as well as enables the participants to identify practical interventions and approaches to address urgent issues. Moreover, the hackers will be benefiting from the specific know-how and skill sets of experts on the topic.