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The AIconics Awards Americas 2026

Young AI Innovator of the Year

What Makes a Young AI Innovator of the Year?

The Americas Young AI Innovator of the Year Award will recognize a young professional (under 35) with an office in North or South America who has demonstrated exceptional innovation and potential in the field of artificial intelligence, showing promise for future contributions between September 23, 2025 and September 23, 2026.

Who is eligible?

  • Any individual under 35 years of age working in the AI industry, whether for a technology company, research institution, start-up, or any other relevant organization
  • Must have an office in North or South America
Submit your EntryDownload Entry Guide

🏆 2025 Winner

Yiqi Zhao headshot

Yiqi Zhao

Yiqi Zhao is an accomplished AI architect and innovator, known for her contributions to AI-driven spatial intelligence and immersive technologies at Meta. With a strong research background at Harvard and MIT Media Lab, Yiqi has been instrumental in pioneering new advancements in XR and AI technology across Meta Quest products and creation tools. Her work focuses on pushing the boundaries of what's possible in immersive experiences, making significant impacts in the field through innovative solutions including Meta Quest headsets and Gen AI Creation. Previously leading Unity's platform initiatives and the visionOS partnership for Apple Vision Pro, Yiqi continues to drive forward AI initiatives while leading Deepcake, an AIGC community with 200 million monthly views, leveraging her expertise to shape the future of human-centric immersive experiences.

The AIconics Awards logo

The AIconics global awards are a benchmark for industry excellence, recognizing the achievements of individuals and companies instrumental in breakthrough innovation and cutting-edge application of artificial intelligence in business.

Participation in these awards positions you and your organization as a thought leader in the AI domain, and serves to acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding contributions of you and your peers.

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