How it feels to practice for IOAI in Iran
The article describes the experience of preparing for the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI) in Iran, highlighting the challenges and unique circumstances faced by Iranian participants due to internet restrictions, limited resources, and political tensions while pursuing AI education and competition training.
Background
IOAI stands for the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence, a new global competition for high school students focused on AI and machine learning. Iran has a strong tradition of sending teams to international science Olympiads (math, informatics, physics, etc.), and students often train intensively under difficult conditions, including sanctions that restrict access to software, cloud services, and online learning tools. This article describes the personal experience of an Iranian student preparing for the IOAI — highlighting the technical hurdles (e.g., sanctions blocking API access, slow internet), the pride and pressure of representing the country, and the broader context of how scientific competition intersects with geopolitical isolation.