About the Open Call

The AI for Social Impact Initiative, a collaboration between CARE Austria & Ars Electronica, honors projects that connect artistic imagination, technological innovation, and development practice. Four award winners will be honored: two projects will receive €5,000 each and two further projects will receive €2,500 each. The initiative highlights projects originating from, or developed in close collaboration with, regions such as Africa, Latin America, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa. Selected projects may be invited to collaborate with CARE through workshops at field offices and may be eligible for follow-up development grants.

What is Offered

Four awards (two of €5,000 and two of €2,500), potential participation in a workshop at a CARE field office, and eligibility to apply for follow-up development grants.

Requirements

Submissions must go beyond purely speculative or theoretical proposals and show at least an initial phase or proof of concept. Projects should address social or environmental challenges rooted in local contexts and demonstrate responsible AI principles, including transparency, accountability, and data governance.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit their project to one of the official categories of the Prix Ars Electronica 2026 or the S+T+ARTS Prize 2026 and consent to its evaluation within this initiative during the application process.