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Technology AI and Transformation

Programme in preparation

AI Innovation Project of the Year

Recognises an AI-enabled project that created measurable business, customer, operational or societal value through responsible implementation.

Who can apply

Projects using AI/ML/GenAI as a material part of the solution. “Use of AI” alone is insufficient; the submission must demonstrate value, adoption and responsible governance.

PMI membership and certification are generally optional. Work must be authorised for submission and capable of evidencing outcomes. General and category-specific eligibility both apply.

Geographic scope to be confirmed: An India connection is recommended. Final geographic eligibility will be published before nominations open.

Evidence to prepare

Problem statement; why AI was appropriate; architecture/solution overview at a non-proprietary level; before/after metrics; adoption; human oversight; data/privacy/security controls; model governance; benefits.

Link each claim to a labelled exhibit, baseline and measurable result. Redact confidential and unnecessary personal data. The evidence pack is limited to 10 pages or equivalent.

Presentation template for this award

Use the Technology, AI & Transformation template. It contains 15 editable slides with prompts suited to this award family, an outcomes table, evidence references and declarations.

PPTX · 15 slides · 218 KB

The presentation supports the written nomination and evidence package. Follow the category requirements and any finalist invitation for the required format and timing.

How this award is evaluated

Scroll the table horizontally to see additional columns, if needed.

Category scoring criteria total 100%
CriterionWeightWhat the jury looks for
Measurable value25%Business, customer, operational or social value with before/after evidence.
Innovation & originality20%Novel or distinctive use of AI appropriate to the problem.
Responsible AI, security & governance20%Privacy, fairness, transparency, security, model risk and human oversight.
Adoption & change management15%User adoption, workflow integration and organisational change.
Performance improvement10%Quality, speed, productivity, accuracy or other measurable improvement.
Scalability & sustainability10%Ability to sustain, govern and scale the solution.

Each criterion uses a 1–5 evidence scale. Recommended weighted score = Σ(weight × score ÷ 5). A 70/100 quality threshold informs jury judgement, with the option to confer no award.

How to apply

  1. Check eligibility and select this category. For a project, confirm that it is not entered in another competitive project or domain category.
  2. Prepare the common nomination and the category evidence listed above. Download a draft and attach the final, authorised package to an email when nominations open.
  3. The Secretariat acknowledges receipt, assigns an application ID and checks completeness, eligibility and classification.
  4. Three independent reviewers assess the evidence under the proposed 2027 review standard. The category jury moderates scores and identifies up to three finalists.
  5. Only shortlisted entrants receive fee or waiver instructions and an invitation to submit their final dossier and present.
  6. Attend the scheduled jury session. Format proposed for this category: 15-minute presentation and 15-minute Q&A.
  7. Verification, procedural review and ratification precede the 30 January 2027 announcement.

Post-shortlisting fee

Proposed category charge: ₹5,000 plus applicable GST. No charge at initial nomination. The final schedule and written fee/waiver terms will be confirmed before nominations open. Registered NGOs are recommended for a waiver across applicable categories.

Any payment applies to the further assessment process and does not guarantee a finalist award or winning outcome. Conference registration, travel and accommodation are separate.

View every category and the fee policy

Category guidance

Finalists should expect specific jury questions on responsible AI, data provenance, security, bias/fairness, human accountability and claimed productivity/quality gains.

Grand Project pathway

The winner of this category is eligible for automatic consideration for Grand Project of the Year, using the existing submission and no additional application fee.

Read about the Grand Project honour

Before applying, check the final nomination window, geographic eligibility and fee or waiver terms. Category scoring criteria and weightings will be frozen before nominations open.