EY Open Science AI & Data Challenge

The 2025 EY Open Science AI & Data Challenge:  Cooling Urban Heat Islands

Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the EY Ripples program, the EY Open Science AI & Data Challenge is an annual competition that gives university students, early-career professionals and EY people the opportunity to develop data models using artificial intelligence (AI) and computing technology to create solutions that address critical climate issues, building a more sustainable future for society and the planet.

In the US and many other industrialized countries, heat events account for more than all other natural hazards combined¹ and cities are getting hit the hardest. Urban areas are most susceptible to heat stress due to the high density of buildings and lack of green space and water bodies.  This phenomenon is known as the Urban Heat Island effect and means that cities can be much hotter than suburban and rural areas, which is bad news for health and energy use. With more than half of the world’s population living in cities² — a number that's only rising — and with climate change turning up the heat, we've got a growing problem on our hands.

This is where AI and data come in, playing a key role in determining where hotspots exist and are likely to develop, helping urban planners and municipalities design cities that are more livable and resilient.

Participants in the 2025 EY Open Science AI & Data Challenge will have a chance to use AI for good, working with satellite datasets to develop machine learning models to forecast temperatures across a city. Their models can help make the case for more green infrastructure, leading-edge building practices and urban design that brings cooling relief to vulnerable communities.

Who can enter?

Any EY employee, university student or early-career professional with less than five years of experience can join the challenge.

Rewards

In addition to participants’ models helping change the world, the best and brightest ideas are eligible for cash prizes up to $10,000, and attendance at an exciting awards celebration.