Chapter Meetings

Discover what USAAI chapter meetings look like and explore the variety of engaging formats that bring AI learning to life for high school students across the country.

What Do USAAI Chapter Meetings Look Like?

USAAI chapters are active, engaging, and creative spaces for high school students to explore AI together. While every chapter has flexibility, most meet weekly and use a mix of formats depending on their goals, timeline, and member experience level.

Below are the main types of meetings USAAI chapters might host:

1. Project-Based Meetings

These meetings are centered around collaborative student projects that apply real AI concepts. They often run over multiple weeks and give members a chance to build, test, and present something they've created.

Examples include:

  • Building beginner-friendly AI models (like sentiment analysis or image classification) using platforms such as Teachable Machine, Scratch for AI, or Google Colab
  • Exploring a current event or ethical issue in AI and designing a tech-based response
  • Creating an AI-powered application or interface and presenting it to the chapter
  • Working on submissions for the USAAI Competition Series

These meetings emphasize creativity, problem-solving, and applied learning.

2. Workshop & Curriculum Meetings

These are structured learning sessions designed to teach specific AI topics. Chapters often use official USAAI resources, such as workshop decks, guided activities, and beginner toolkits.

Examples include:

  • A walkthrough of a concept like supervised learning, neural networks, or natural language processing
  • An interactive activity using a beginner-friendly AI tool
  • Slides and guided discussion to introduce AI ethics, bias in datasets, or emerging applications in fields like healthcare or robotics
  • Preparation workshops for the USAAI Competition Series or Mini Hackathons hosted by USAAI

These meetings help students of all levels build foundational AI knowledge.

3. Guest Speakers and Industry Spotlights

Some chapters dedicate occasional meetings to inviting guest speakers who work with AI in research, industry, or entrepreneurship. These sessions expose students to real-world applications and career paths in AI.

Examples include:

  • Virtual or in-person Q&A sessions with engineers, researchers, college students, or alumni
  • Nationally organized speaker events streamed live to all chapters
  • Spotlights on AI in fields like finance, environmental science, or law
  • Alumni panels or university students working in AI-related labs

Flexible, Student-Led, and Impactful

While every chapter chooses what works best for them, USAAI encourages chapters to:

Mix meeting formats to keep things fresh and engaging
Lean into creativity, collaboration, and real-world application
Use national resources and toolkits provided by USAAI for planning and execution
Tailor meetings based on member interests and upcoming competitions

Chapter meetings are the heartbeat of the organization — where learning, leadership, and innovation come to life.