GENEVA, Switzerland, July 8, 2026 — At the AI for Good Global Summit hosted by the United Nations International Telecommunication Union ( ITU), FIRST Global, the Experiential Robotics Platform (XRP) and FYI.AI unveiled a landmark advancement in robotics education: a new Agentic Learning Experience that puts AI-powered workflows directly into the hands of student robotics teams around the world.
Beginning in 2027, the new software platform powered by FYI.AI will be integrated into FIRST Global’s robotics ecosystem and made available as a software module for existing XRP robots, ensuring that current users can access the new capabilities without purchasing new equipment.
“Artificial intelligence will become one of the defining technologies of our time, but the goal is not to create a generation that simply uses AI,” said Fritz Morgan, COO of FIRST Global. “The goal is to create a generation that understands it, builds it, improves it and uses it responsibly to solve real-world problems.”
The new Agentic Learning Experience introduces students to AI-powered workflows while maintaining the essential role of human creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving. Rather than replacing student decision-making, the system is designed to help learners better understand how intelligent systems operate, identify issues, suggest solutions and collaborate with humans through the engineering process.
Global music artist, tech entrepreneur and Founder & CEO of FYI.AI; AI Skills Coalition Goodwill Ambassador, AI Skills Coalition; and FIRST Global Board Member, will.i.am showcased the new XRP robot kit and AI software capabilities on stage during his keynote address at AI for Good Summit. “When every child has access to safe, ethical, purposeful agentic AI, we create a new class of problem solvers. The partnership between the UN ITU, FIRST Global and FYI.AI will help bring AI literacy to the places that need it most, unlocking a generation ready to tackle the biggest challenges facing our world.”
This initiative also represents a significant step toward FIRST Global and the AI for Good Robotics for Good Youth Challenge program’s shared vision of expanding access to youth robotics and emerging technologies in regions where opportunities to engage with advanced AI systems remain limited. This new agentic AI software is a meaningful step forward in the next generation’s AI literacy.
In a powerful show of commitment to youth innovation, the ITU is giving an XRP robotics kit to every finalist team in its Robotics for Good Youth Challenge Grand Finale 2026. This is more than a prize; it is an investment in the next generation of problem-solvers, giving young people hands-on access to the tools they need to keep building, experimenting and learning long after the competition ends. will.i.am will further amplify that impact by donating $50,000 worth of XRP kits to areas in need of resources. This effort has the potential to reach far beyond the competition floor, inspiring even more young people around the world to see robotics, AI and technology as tools they can use to shape the future.
Fred Werner, chief strategic engagement & AI for Good at ITU, commented. “I am truly excited to see this collaboration which closely aligns with the goals of the AI for Good initiative and the Robotics for Good Youth Challenge by using technology to expand opportunity and equip young people with the skills they need to thrive in an AI-powered future. By broadening access to hands-on AI and robotics education, we are empowering the next generation of innovators, ensuring that geography or access to resources is not a barrier to developing the knowledge and capabilities needed to shape tomorrow’s world.”
Visit FIRST Global and see XRP, incorporation the Agentic AI Learning Experience in action at AI FOR GOOD, July 7-10, 2026 at Booth #103.
Agentic AI Software Key Features With this software upgrade, students can build their agentic AI using the FYI.AI technology. Furthermore, they can work with the robot they’ve built, ask questions about the code they’ve written, and receive real-time guidance as they design, test and troubleshoot the robot’s performance. Rather than simply providing students with the answer, the system creates an interactive learning experience to help them better understand programming, engineering and AI-driven workflows while keeping team members actively involved in every step of the process. By bringing this capability to students in more than 190 countries and territories, FIRST Global and XRP are opening the door to a new era of robotics education that will help prepare the next generation of innovators for a world increasingly shaped by intelligent systems.
The announcement marks the next evolution of the XRP platform, which was first introduced at the 2022 FIRST Global Challenge as an affordable, scalable robotics system designed to expand access to hands-on STEM education worldwide. Today, XRP kits are used by students and educators across continents as an affordable platform for robotics education and at competition events. In 2025, South Africa and Argentina hosted national robotics tournaments with 100 and 3,000 teams respectively using XRP kits, with other countries like El Salvador and Haiti following suit.
As governments, educational institutions and industry leaders around the world increasingly prioritize AI literacy and competency, FIRST Global’s international network, now collaborating with the ITU’s Robotics for Good Youth Challenge program, provides a unique opportunity to bring meaningful AI education to students regardless of geography, economic status or prior access to advanced technologies.
Through the new platform, students will learn how to work alongside intelligent systems, develop agentic workflows and better understand the relationship between software, robotics, automation and human oversight. These skills are expected to become increasingly important across industries in the coming decade.
The Agentic Learning Experience represents the first public step in a broader evolution of the FIRST Global and XRP educational ecosystem. Additional innovations designed to expand access to next-generation STEM learning opportunities will be announced in the future.
About FIRST Global
FIRST Global is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring science and technology. Through the annual FIRST Global Challenge and year-round STEM initiatives, FIRST Global unites students in more than 190 countries and territories, helping build the next generation of innovators, engineers and problem solvers.
About XRP
The Experiential Robotics Platform (XRP) launched with support from the National Science Foundation is an affordable, scalable robotics platform developed by a consortium of members from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), DEKA Research & Development Corp., Cornell, Sparkfun, Digikey, MIT and many other members. Designed to expand access to hands-on STEM education worldwide, XRP enables students to learn robotics, programming, engineering and problem-solving through practical, real-world experiences.
About FYI.AI
Founded by will.i.am to help artists, creators and communities collaborate, stay organized and build what’s next on the go on mobile devices and desktops, he created the FYI to bring together messaging, projects, media and AI-powered tools in one unified platform. With FYI, human creativity comes first, including owning and controlling your own data using FYI’s encrypted messenger. Visit www.fyi.fyi to get started and join the movement.
About the Robotics for Good Youth Challenge
The Robotics for Good Youth Challenge is a global education and robotics competition that empowers young people to develop innovative, AI- and robotics-based solutions to real-world challenges. Organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Challenge equips students with technical, problem-solving and teamwork skills while fostering creativity, inclusion and responsible innovation. National winning teams advance to the global finals at the AI for Good Global Summit, where they showcase their solutions and collaborate with peers from around the world to demonstrate how technology can be used for social good.
