Scouting America Introduces AI and Cybersecurity Merit Badges
Key Points
- Scouting America adds AI and cybersecurity merit badges to its program.
- The AI badge teaches fundamentals of artificial intelligence and automation.
- The cybersecurity badge focuses on digital safety and practical security skills.
- Both badges prioritize hands‑on, real‑world learning over theory.
- An AI chatbot named Scoutly helps Scouts access badge requirements.
- The organization serves over a million youth, including nearly 200,000 girls.
- Scouting America now offers more than 130 merit badges across various topics.
Scouting America has added artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to its roster of merit badges, offering Scouts hands‑on learning about AI fundamentals, automation, and digital safety. The new badges emphasize real‑world practice rather than theory, and the organization has also launched an AI chatbot, Scoutly, to help youth access badge requirements. With more than a million members, including nearly 200,000 girls, the move reflects the group’s effort to keep its century‑old program relevant to modern technology.
New Merit Badges for Modern Skills
Scouting America, the nation’s largest youth organization, announced the addition of artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity merit badges to its extensive program. The AI badge is designed to introduce Scouts to the fundamentals of AI and automation through hands‑on activities and real‑world examples. The cybersecurity badge equips Scouts with essential knowledge and skills to navigate and protect the digital world.
Emphasis on Real‑World Practice
Both badges focus on practical experience rather than solely reading about technology. According to the organization, the AI badge encourages Scouts to think about responsible technology use, while the cybersecurity badge teaches actual security skills and safe online habits. This approach aligns with the traditional scouting emphasis on experiential learning, adapting it to contemporary technological contexts.
Scoutly: An AI Chatbot Companion
To support Scouts in earning these new badges, Scouting America introduced an AI chatbot named Scoutly. Scoutly can share the requirements for the various merit badges and assist with other tasks, providing an interactive tool that reinforces the learning objectives of the AI and cybersecurity programs.
Organization Overview and Reach
Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America, has evolved to become a more inclusive organization, now welcoming both boys and girls. The group serves over a million youth, including nearly 200,000 female participants, and offers more than 130 different merit badges across a wide range of subjects. By incorporating AI and cybersecurity into its curriculum, Scouting America aims to ensure that its members gain relevant skills for the digital age while maintaining the core values of scouting.