Do I need any prior knowledge of AI or futurism to enter?
No. The course is designed for curious beginners — no background in AI, technology, or futurism required. If you have an imagination and care about the future, you’re qualified.
Do I need to be a student to enter?
No, the challenge is open to anyone aged 16 or older. That said, it’s especially well-suited for students and young creatives: the course is introductory and the challenge is designed to be accessible to first-time worldbuilders.
Can I enter if I’m under 18?
Yes, but you’ll need a parent or guardian’s permission to participate.
Can I enter as a team? Is there a team size limit?
Yes. You can submit as an individual or as a team. There’s no maximum team size. Each team submits one world through a single submission form entry.
Is this open to people outside the US?
Yes, the challenge is open worldwide. Prize payment is by international bank transfer.
Can I enter if I’ve already taken the course before the challenge was announced?
Yes, provided that the world you submit is new and created especially for this challenge.
How do I prove I completed the course?
There’s a checkbox on the submission form where you confirm you’ve completed the free Udemy course. Completing the course is a genuine requirement — the checkbox works on an honesty basis, but course completion is not optional. The course is only 1.5 hours and self-paced, and it’s also what walks you through building your world, so it’s worth taking even if you’re already familiar with some of the topics.
Does every team member need to complete the course?
We encourage everyone on the team to take it, but only one member needs to confirm course completion on the submission form.
What if I already know a lot about AI and futurism, do I still have to take the course?
Yes, course completion is required for all entries. That said, if you’re already familiar with the material, you can move through it quickly — it’s self-paced and only 1.5 hours.
Is the course actually free?
Yes, completely free on Udemy. No hidden costs.
What does a submission look like?
The submission form asks you to provide a world name, a vision statement (1–2 sentences describing what’s changed and why it’s hopeful), and details across several dimensions of your world: a key technology and how it shapes life in 2035, what kind of AI exists and how it’s used, a new or reformed institution, a transformed sector, and a major crisis your world overcame. You can also upload an image (AI-generated, hand-drawn, or symbolic) and optionally link to a short video (max 2 minutes on YouTube or Vimeo).
Can I choose whether my submission is public?
Yes, the form lets you control your sharing permissions. You can choose whether your world is shared publicly, and separately whether your name and social media links are included. You can also submit anonymously by leaving the name field blank.
When will my submission appear in the World Gallery?
We review submissions on a rolling basis. You can expect to see your world in the gallery within about a week of submitting.
Can I submit more than one world?
Yes, you can submit multiple worlds as long as each is your own original work.
What counts as “published elsewhere”?
If you’ve shared the same world publicly in a significant way (for example as a blog post, a project submission for another competition, or a public portfolio piece) it wouldn’t qualify. Sharing early sketches or ideas informally is fine.
How are submissions judged?
The Existential Hope team reviews all submissions against four criteria: imagination, ambition grounded in reality, coherence, and hopefulness. You can read the full descriptions of each on the challenge page.
Can one submission win multiple prizes?
Yes. The $5K grand prize goes to the best overall world. The five $1K bounties each recognize a specific dimension (best visuals, best transformative technology, most inspiring vision, best transformed sector, and best institution) so a single submission could win more than one.
Will I receive feedback on my submission?
We won’t be able to provide individual feedback given the volume of submissions, but all entries whose authors agreed will be featured in the World Gallery.
When will winners be announced?
Mid-July 2026. We’ll notify participants directly by email, whether or not they are winners.
Who owns my submission?
You do. By submitting, you give Existential Hope permission to feature your world in the World Gallery and across our channels, but you retain full ownership of your work.
Can I publish my world elsewhere after submitting?
Yes, you keep your rights and can share or publish your work wherever you like, provided you do so after filling out our submission form.
