Guardians of the Generative Age — Innovating for Safer AI Futures
Global iSAFE Hackathon -Inclusive & Secure AI For Everyone
A global, hybrid hackathon to build trustworthy generative AI that defends truth, protects citizens, and promotes online peace.
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Inclusive & Secure AI For Everyone (iSAFE) Hackathon 2026 - Internet Safety & Digital Trust Innovation Challenge
The iSAFE Hackathon 2026 is a global innovation challenge designed to harness thepower of technology and generative artificial intelligence to address emerging threats inonline environments, empower digital citizens, and strengthen trust in digital systems.
The hackathon brings together diverse teams from around the world — students, researchers, innovators, developers, and early-stage entrepreneurs — with the aim of producing practical, deployable solutions that advance internet safety, digital trust,and the ethical use of AI. Participants will engage in a structured competition thatculminates in virtual presentations and the announcement of winners during the WorldSummit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2026.
Context and Purpose
Today, the Global CyberPeace Challenge stands as a testament to what is possible when technology is guided by responsibility, security by ethics, and innovation by purpose. It is no longer just a competition, it is a global talent pipeline, a policy incubator, and a collaboration engine shaping the future of cybersecurity.
Hackathons at the WSIS Forum have historically served as platforms for innovation,cross-sector collaboration, and applied problem-solving. They complement themultistakeholder discussions of the Forum by engaging the global innovation communityto build solutions that contribute to WSIS Action Lines and sustainable developmentgoals. In previous editions, WSIS hackathons have connected diverse actors, enabledpractical interventions, and provided mentoring and recognition to participants.
The iSAFE Hackathon 2026 advances this tradition by focusing on internet safety,digital trust, and the ethical deployment of generative technologies, aligning withevolving global priorities in digital policy and governance.
Edition
3
Countries
120+
Participants
1500+
Prizes worth
$20,000
quick facts
FORMAT
Hybrid — Global online build + Finale at New Delhi + Opportunity to
Showcase at Bharat Mandapam.
DATE
- Launch: 20 Nov 2025
- Registrations: 20 Nov 2025 – 31 March 2026
- Shortlisting Phase: 1 April 2026- 30 April 2026
- Finalists Announcement: 5 May 2026
- Mentorship Session: 10 May 2026
- Virtual Presentations: 10th – 22th May 2026
- Winner Announcement: During WSIS Forum 2026 (6th – 10th July 2026)
PRIZES & SUPPORT
grants, cloud credits, incubation, and CyberPeace pilots.
WHO SHOULD APPLY
- University Students and AI researchers.
- CyberPeace Corps volunteers and innovators.
- Startups in Trust & Safety, Fintech or Media Tech.
- Defence & Police Academies for Red-team-blue-team drills.
Alignment with the Global Digital Compact (GDC)
Objective 1
Close all digital divides and accelerate progress across the SDGs
iSAFE promotes inclusive participation and capacity building, enabling youth-led solutions that address safety and trust gaps affecting vulnerable and
underserved communities.
Objective 2
Expand inclusion in and benefits from the digital economy for all
The hackathon supports innovation that empowers users, builds digital confidence, and enables safer participation in the digital economy.
Objective 3
Foster an inclusive, open, safe and secure digital space that respects human rights
Core challenge areas focus on combating misinformation, protecting users, and promoting digital civility and peace.
Objective 4
Advance responsible, equitable and interoperable data governance approaches
grants, cloud credits, incubation, and CyberPeace pilots.
Objective 5
Enhance international governance of artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity
By encouraging practical AI safety mechanisms and ethical AI design, iSAFE supports global efforts toward responsible AI governance.
Why this matters?
Generative AI can create content at scale — images, video, audio, and text. That capability is a force for good, and a source of new harms: deepfakes, targeted scams, automated disinformation, and model misuse. HackForTrust invites the global community to build practical, deployable tools that protect truth, safeguard citizens, and make AI accountable. This is a hands-on competition: prototypes must be demonstrable and ready for pilot testing.
TRACKS / THEMES
PICK ONE WHEN YOU APPLY
TRACK
01
Detect the Deceptive
Trace, verify, and neutralize synthetic media (images, video, voice, text).
TRACK
02
Defend the Digital Citizen
Build proactive GenAI tools that prevent scams, educate vulnerable users, and rebuild trust.
TRACK
03
Building the Guardrails of Trustworthy AI
Practical red-teaming, audit, and real-time governance tools for LLMs.
TRACK
04
Create for Peace
Generative experiences that teach empathy, counter polarization, and rebuild civic resilience.
TRACK
05
Enhance the CyberPeace Chatbot
Integrate Generative AI, CyberPeace GPT, and Agentic AI to make CyberPeace’s chatbot an active digital peace agent.
PROBLEM
STATEMENT 1
PROBLEM
STATEMENT 2
PROBLEM
STATEMENT 3
PROBLEM
STATEMENT 4
PROBLEM
STATEMENT 5
01
02
03
04
05
Detect the Deceptive:
Tracing Synthetic Realities
Defend the Digital Citizen: AI for Protection and Empowerment
Building the Guardrails of
Trustworthy AI
Create for Peace: Generative AI for Social Good and Digital Civility
Enhancing the CyberPeace Chatbot with Generative & Agentic AI Capabilities
01
02
03
04
05
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Evaluation Framework
Criteria
Weight
Innovation & Technical Depth
30%
Trust & Safety Integration
25%
Societal Impact & Usability
20%
Scalability & Localization (Indic languages included)
15%
Presentation, Documentation & Ethics
10%
Process
The panel includes AI researchers, CyberPeace leads, industry partners, policy experts, and civil society.
Ideation Round
- Submission of concept + flow design
- Shortlisting of top 50 ideas
Development Round
- Mentorship + prototype building
- Submission of working solution or demo video
- Shortlisting of top 20 finalists
Grand Finale
- Top 10 finalists pitch to jury
- Live demo and Q&A session
- Selection of 3 winners
WHat to submit
Clearly define the problem your solution tackles, the proposed AI-driven approach, and the impact it will have on cybersecurity. Highlight how your solution was designed, any unique algorithms or techniques used, and how AI improves upon existing methods.
Source code & Repository
- Provide a link to your project’s code repository (e.g., GitHub, GitLab).
- Create an open-source (or openly distributed) solution that addresses pressing cybersecurity challenges by integrating AI. (each a “Project”).
- Include information on the open-source license you’re using to ensure others can freely adapt and build upon your work.
WORKING DEMO
- Showcase your solution in action via a deployed app, Docker container, or hosted instance.
- Alternatively, create a short video or interactive environment (e.g., GitHub Pages, YouTube, or a similar platform) to guide viewers through your tool.
supporting material
- Supply a 3–5 minute video walkthrough explaining your project’s features, architecture, and results.
- Provide screenshots, diagrams, or any supplementary documentation (API specs, user guides, etc.) to help others understand and use your creation.
Team & Contributor Info
- Include a short bio or description for each contributor, along with pictures if possible.
- If you represent a company or organization, provide a concise overview of its mission and role in your project.
- By focusing on open-source principles and immediate practical application, your project can help elevate the cybersecurity community’s capabilities against ever-evolving threats. We look forward to seeing your innovative solutions!
Timeline
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Prize, Pilots
Post Event Paths
Cash prizes, cloud credits, and incubation support.
Fast-track pilots with CyberPeace.
Fellowship
Opportunities.
Opportunities.
Showcases at the India AI Impact Summit 2026
Code of Conduct & Safety
Be respectful. No hate or harassment. No building tools intended to harm. All participants must follow the privacy & data rules in the problem pack. Breaches will result in disqualification and removal.
Prizes and Opportunities
Over
$20,000
worth of prizes
includes provision of cloud credits and technology licenses to accelerate projectdevelopment to top teams.
Exclusive internship opportunities
Exclusiveinternship opportunities at ITU, offering hands-on experience in AI and cybersecurity
Support for startup incubation
Support for startup incubation to help transform ideas into viable businesses.
Global Exposure & visibility
Global exposure and visibility at the prestigious WSIS Forum 2026,connecting innovators with industry leaders.
Sponsor Opportunities
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Branding
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Pilot Pipelines
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Early access to finalist tech
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Recruitment access
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GOT
QUESTIONS?
Who can participate?
Anyone globally — students, researchers, startups, NGOs, and early-stage companies. Teams up to 3.
Will participants get API / cloud credits?
Yes — selected teams can apply for partner credits. Details in the problem pack.
Is travel covered for finalists?
Travel support is available for select finalists; details shared during finalist selection.
Can we use proprietary models?
Yes, but you must document license/usage and include safety mitigations. Open-source solutions encouraged for reproducibility.
How do you protect sensitive outputs?
All demo data must be sanitized. We provide secure sandboxes for testing.
$20,000 Prize Pool
Join us Live in Geneva, Switzerland
6-10 July, 2026