AI Talent Challenge

2026 Rules & Submission Guidelines

The 2026 Onward Search AI Talent Challenge (the “Challenge”) is an opportunity for creative industry veterans and rising stars to showcase their AI-assisted creative work.

Participate for a chance to win a 2026 AI Talent Award, be recognized as an AI Challenge winner, present your work during the Fall 2026 AI Portfolio Show, and gain exposure to creative leaders, hiring managers, and prospective clients or employers. The first-place winner will also receive up to $500 toward an AI platform subscription of their choice.

By entering the Challenge, you agree to these Official Rules:

1. Overview

Onward Search (“Onward,” “we,” “our”) is seeking outstanding examples of AI-assisted creative work from professionals, students, freelancers, agencies, and in-house teams.

Eligible work includes, but is not limited to:

Advertising campaigns
Brand identity systems
Graphic design
Web design
UX/UI
Motion graphics
Video
Copywriting
Content marketing
Social assets
Product design
Creative concepts
Experimental work

Submissions may be client work, personal projects, spec work, student work, or previously published work. Video submissions may not exceed six minutes in runtime.

2. How to Enter

No purchase, placement through Onward Search, or prior relationship with the company is required to enter. Participants may enter in one of two ways.

1. Option A: Submit through Onward Search. Complete the official submission form before 11:59 PM ET on August 19, 2026.

You will be asked to provide:

Name
Role
Company or School Email
Link to your project
Short project description (including AI tools used)

2. Option B: Share on LinkedIn. Publish your project on LinkedIn before the submission deadline. Posts must:

Tag @Onward Search
Include #AITalentChallenge
Include a brief description of your project (including AI tools used)

Finalists will be contacted through LinkedIn or email depending on their method of submission. Winners will be invited to present their projects at the virtual Fall 2026 AI Portfolio Show on September 17th.

3. Judging

Eligible submissions will be reviewed by a panel of creative leaders selected by Onward Search. Entries will be evaluated based on factors including:

Concept Originality
Message Clarity
Production Quality
Asset Effectiveness

Winning submissions should showcase both human creativity and skill in using AI tools. The specific AI tools used, or the number of tools used, will not determine the outcome.

4. Winners

Selected winners will receive:

Recognition as an Onward AI Talent Challenge Winner
Featured presentation during the Fall 2026 AI Portfolio Show
Promotion across Onward Search marketing channels
Exposure to hiring managers, creative leaders, and prospective employers or clients
A 2026 AI Talent Award for Creative Excellence
$500 for a Subscription to an AI Platform of the Winner’s Choice (First Place Only)

The winners will be announced live to the public during the Fall 2026 AI Portfolio Show.

Winners are not guaranteed placement or hire.

5. Additional Submission Requirements

You represent that:

You created or have permission to submit the work.
The work does not infringe upon the rights of others.
AI was used as part of the creative process.
You have disclosed the primary AI tools used.

6. Retained Ownership

You retain ownership of your submitted work.

By entering the Challenge, you grant Onward Search a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to:

Display your submission
Feature it during the AI Portfolio Show
Share excerpts, screenshots, and clips across marketing channels
Include your work in future Challenge-related content

7. Publicity

By participating, you grant Onward Search permission to use your:

Name
Professional title
Company (if applicable)
Submitted work
Biography
Profile photo
Video recordings from the event

for purposes of promoting the Challenge, AI Portfolio Show, and future Onward Search marketing efforts.

8. Prohibited Content

Submissions may not:

Misrepresent AI-generated work as entirely human-created or vice versa
Include offensive, discriminatory, or unlawful content
Violate any applicable laws or platform policies
Infringe on copyrights or trademarks
Contain confidential information without permission
Have been featured in a past Onward Search webinar

Onward Search reserves the right to remove or disqualify any submission that does not comply with these rules.

9. Eligibility

Participants must:

Be at least 18 years old.
Not be an employee of Onward Search directly involved in administering the Challenge.
Not be a judge of the competition.

10. General Terms

Onward Search reserves the right to:

Modify the Challenge timeline
Update these rules
Disqualify fraudulent or ineligible submissions
Cancel or suspend the Challenge if necessary

All judging decisions are final.

10. Timeline

Challenge Opens: July 22, 2026

Submission Deadline: August 19, 2026 (11:59 PM ET)

Finalists Notified: Week of August 24

AI Portfolio Show Announcing Winners: September 17, 2026