Insight Jam Launches New Mesh Awards to Spotlight Real-World AI Readiness

New Mesh Award spotlights real-world education and workforce programs delivering measurable human outcomes in the age of AI.

In collaboration with Solutions Review, Insight Jam announced the launch of the Mesh Awards, a new global recognition program designed to identify and elevate the education and workforce initiatives preparing people to work and think alongside artificial intelligence.

As AI adoption accelerates across industries, the gap between technological capability and human readiness continues to widen. The Mesh Awards were created to surface the programs actively closing that gap (focusing on real-world outcomes rather than theoretical approaches or tool-centric training).

“AI is advancing faster than the systems preparing people to work alongside it,” said Doug Atkinson, President at Solutions Review. “The Mesh Awards exist to identify and elevate the programs actually doing the work—helping people build the skills, judgment, and confidence required to operate in an AI-driven world.”

The Mesh Awards are open to programs across K–12, Higher Education, and Professional Development, and are structured around three core categories:

• Human / AI Readiness: Programs building the capability to work with AI confidently, critically, and responsibly
• Human Skills for the AI Era: Programs strengthening the uniquely human capabilities that become more valuable as AI advances
• Human Opportunity & Access: Programs expanding who benefits from the AI transition by increasing access to skills, careers, and economic mobility

Submissions will be evaluated based on human impact, innovation in program design, and scalability, with an emphasis on practical, replicable models that can inform broader adoption.

All submissions will be made via a short, 3-minute video outlining the challenge addressed, the program implemented, and the measurable impact on participants. Qualifying submissions will be featured on the YouTube channel for Insight Jam, which reaches more than one million subscribers, providing global visibility to participating programs.

“The goal is not just to recognize excellence, but to build a living library of programs that others can learn from,” Atkinson added. “We believe the future of AI adoption will be defined not by the tools organizations deploy, but by how effectively they prepare people to use them.”

Applications for the 2026 Mesh Awards open in April 2026, with submissions closing in September. Finalists will be announced in October, and winners will be recognized in December 2026.

Organizations interested in submitting a program or becoming a sponsor can learn more here.

About Insight Jam

Insight Jam is a platform dedicated to exploring the human side of artificial intelligence through expert-led conversations, research, and global programming focused on the future of work and learning.