THE TECH TRIALS
An immersive educational competition where students debate the major ethical and technological challenges of our time.
New in 2026
Bilingual competition: FR & EN
Secure AI platform for teachers
“Coach” chatbot for students
INTER-SCHOOL LEGAL PLEA COMPETITION
The Tech Trial is a competition that combines eloquence and critical thinking. Students are divided into teams of advocates as part of a mock trial addressing various ethical issues in the digital world, particularly artificial intelligence.
The Foundation provides participants with the educational resources necessary to understand the technological issues debated during the Tech Trials.
Participants are coached by professional lawyers.
The teams produce case files, closing arguments and compete in oral competitions. Teams participate in a semi-final competition with the winning teams advancing to the finals, where they plead their case before a panel of experts, who select the winners.
A CHALLENGE TO TAKE
FOR AN INFORMED YOUTH
This event enables students to become familiar with technology and to develop their critical thinking skills by taking part in the trial of a fictional case. The Tech Trials promote eloquence in the service of free will when facing the potential uses of 21st-century technologies.
This competition rewards both the learning of new technologies and the eloquence of its participants.
CONDITIONS
The competition is divided into three categories:
Category 1 (French-speaking): ages 13–15 (9S–11S)
Category 2 (French-speaking): ages 16–19 (high school)
Category 3 (English-speaking): ages 15–19
Participants in categories 1, 2, and 3
compete separately.
PROCESS
A six-step program running from November to May.
1. Immersive training for all registered students.
A turnkey program for teachers with an educational platform, experts, Swiss AI (Studio), and a dedicated chatbot to guide students.
2. Selection of students to represent their school in the competition.
Each school selects its duo(s) during an internal mini-competition.
3. Exceptional coaching
Five personalized sessions with a professional lawyer.
4. Warm-up round
First plea before an expert to refine strategy and argumentation.
5. Semi-final
The best pairs compete before a jury of specialists.
6. Grand Final
A stage, an audience, a jury of experts and personalities: excellence at its peak.
HISTORY OF CASES PLEADED
Since its creation in 2021,
The Tech Trials has been offering new case studies every year.
2021
Artificial Intelligence
A robot accused of
having killed its
owner.
2024
AI-driven hiring discrimination
A recruitment AI is accused of age and gender discrimination after rejecting an overqualified
candidate.
2022
Deepfakes
A young
environmental activist who is the victim of controversial
practices.
2025
School Cyberfraud
Leonard hacked accounts, stole an identity, scammed students, and used a deepfake to pose as a corruptteacher.
2023
Identity theft
A data breach exposes VIP clients, leading to abuses committed by three young accomplices.
2026
Digital addiction
A teenager addicted to a challenge app steals to preserve his “streak,” raising questions about responsibility between him, his parents, and the platform.
“Eloquence is the expression of human genius — the ability to convey an idea, an opinion, or a point of view in a way that convinces one’s audience.”
The Tech Trials are listed in the catalogue
THEY TRUST US
Partners & Sponsors
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Schools
