ONIA: Students Impress with Technical Quality and Engagement in the Olympiad That Began with Over 716,000 Participants

This year’s edition of the National Artificial Intelligence Olympiad (ONIA) showcased the potential of Brazilian youth in one of today’s most challenging fields of technology. Starting with a selection process that involved over 716,000 students from across the country, the competition reached its top 28 finalists, who stood out for their technical skills, engagement, and capacity to learn in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The evaluation by the organizing committee—formed by the Institute of Artificial Intelligence (IIA/LNCC), in partnership with EDUSPACE and H2IA/UFPel—was extremely positive, highlighting not only the participants’ technical knowledge but also their logical reasoning, problem-solving abilities, and enthusiasm for the subject.

The success of ONIA 2025 was driven by a large national mobilization, with schools, education departments, and social media working together to encourage participation. Two states stood out in this effort: Paraná, where the Departments of AI and Innovation and Education collaborated; and Piauí, which also promoted the competition through coordination between its AI and Education Departments. These initiatives were essential in bringing the challenge to students from different regions, including areas with limited access to technological resources.

Reaching the ONIA Grand Final represents much more than earning a medal. It is an achievement that reflects preparation to act in some of the world’s most in-demand fields, developing skills such as computational thinking, logical reasoning, and innovation. “Now they know they are capable of learning and, who knows, not only transforming the world with technology, but also becoming examples and role models for many other young Brazilians. For us, this is undoubtedly the greatest victory,” said Prof. Richard Lucht, from EDUSPACE and a member of the ONIA organizing committee.

Throughout all phases of the Olympiad, digital certificates were issued to all participants, also recognizing the fundamental work of the teachers who supported and motivated their students throughout the journey. “Thanks to the support of sponsors, we have the privilege of offering, in addition to the certificates, physical medals that will be sent to students as a way to make this recognition tangible,” said Gabriela Moares, a member of the ONIA organizing committee from IIA-LNCC.

A result like this becomes a true seed of transformation, with great multiplying power—capable of inspiring other students, motivating communities, and completely transforming school environments.

Institute of Artificial Intelligence
instituto.ia@lncc.br