Read → Build → Ship
Deadline: Feb 10 2026 · $100,000 Prizes · Build What's Next
We're linking our All-Hands: Empowerment Imperative with the global Gemini 3 Hackathon hosted by Google DeepMind. Build the next generation of empowerment-aligned agents - systems that optimize for human flourishing, not extraction.
Pre-read
Study the All-Hands brief & Agency Layer framework.
Prototype
Build with Gemini 3 API - empowerment-aligned agents.
Validate
Test goal alignment, consent gates & dual metrics.
Submit
Demo video + public project link before Feb 10.
Prizes
Grand Prize
+ AI Futures Fund interview
2nd Place
+ AI Futures Fund interview
3rd Place
+ AI Futures Fund interview
Honorable (10)
Social promotion
Timeline
- Now – Feb 10 - Build window · 38+ days remaining.
- Feb 10, 2026 @ 1:00am GMT - Submission deadline.
- Post-deadline - Judging & winner announcements.
- Q1 2026 - Open-source release at ai-knowledge-hub.
Rules & Judging
Submission Checklist
- Text description (~200 words) detailing Gemini 3 integration.
- Public project link or AI Studio app (no login required).
- URL to public code repository (if no AI Studio link).
- ~3-minute demo video (judges may not watch beyond 3 min).
- Must be a NEW application built for this hackathon.
Judging Criteria
- Technical Execution (40%): Quality dev, Gemini 3 usage, functional code.
- Innovation / Wow Factor (30%): Novel ideas, unique solutions.
- Potential Impact (20%): Real-world usefulness, problem significance.
- Presentation / Demo (10%): Clear problem definition, effective demo.
Official rules set by Google DeepMind via Devpost. Build with the Agency Layer framework to earn internal Labs recognition.
The Fork: Extraction vs. Empowerment
World A: Extraction
- Maximize clicks, engagement, conversions
- Compulsion loops & escalating stimulation
- Narrowed exploration & filter bubbles
- Identity capture & behavioral prediction
World B: Empowerment
- Maximize goal-consistency & long-term satisfaction
- Capability expansion & trust accumulation
- Exploration diversity & honest tradeoffs
- Autonomy preservation & consent gates
Same machinery. Different objective functions. We're building World B.
Resources
All-Hands Brief
The build sprint overview - Agency Layer architecture, acceptance criteria, and discussion prompts.
Read the brief →Full Research Paper
The theoretical foundation - from Turing to hypernudging to the empowerment alternative.
Read the analysis →Open Source Code
Goal Alignment Engine, Alienation Detection, Agency Optimizer - coming soon.
View repository →