Scouting America Introduces AI and Cybersecurity Merit Badges

Scouts Can Now Earn AI and Cybersecurity Badges

Scouts aren't just out there tying knots and building fires anymore. Scouting America has added two merit badges to its lineup, and it looks like the 115-year-old organization's awards are catching up with modern technology. Scouts can now earn badges in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. Scouting America is the youth organization that was known as Boy Scouts before 2019, when it changed its name to Scouts BSA and allowed girls to join all-girl troops. In February, Scouts BSA changed its name again, this time to Scouting America. Don't miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source. The AI merit badge "will introduce scouts to the fundamentals of AI and automation through hands-on activities and real-world examples," according to Scouting America's website, while the cybersecurity merit badge "equips Scouts with essential knowledge and skills to navigate and protect the digital world." While many of the merit badges seen on individual Scouts' recognizable sashes focus on hands-on experience, often in the outdoors, such as fire safety and insect study, Scouting America says the new additions are relevant to modern life. "Both badges focus on real-world practice, not just reading about technology," Scouting America said in a statement. "The AI badge gets Scouts thinking about how to use technology responsibly. The cybersecurity badge teaches actual security skills along with safe online habits." Scouting America added another modern twist. The organization recently released an AI chatbot named Scoutly that can share the requirements for the various merit badges, among other tasks. Scouts can earn more than 130 badges in different subjects.

AI is the latest merit badge that Scouts can earn

Scouts can get merit badges for a wide variety of activities, from first aid to swimming to citizenship in the world. Now they can add artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to their sash. Scouting America has unveiled the pair of new badges as part of its 2025 requirements updates. The AI badge comes just months after the Scouts launched a chatbot this summer called Scoutly. That system is designed to answer questions about merit badges and Scouts in general. To earn the AI badge, scouts will have to do some homework, defining several AI terms and showing examples of how AI is currently used in everyday life, school, and the workplace. They'll also have to research ethical concerns around the technology, including taking an ethical-decision making scenario test; research careers in AI; and do some hands-on work with AI, either focused on a personal interest or designing a short-lesson to be taught to their patrol of Scouts. The new badges have been available for about a week and some scouts have already earned them. The cybersecurity badge also has an ethics component and research work. Scouts who want that badge will also need to either create their own encryption code, create a checksum for a file or create a PGP (pretty good privacy) email key to encrypt their online messages. They'll also have to perform several security-related actions on a PC, such as running a virus scan and installing and setting up a password manager. For people who were Scouts long ago, badges in AI might seem a lot different than the camping, cooking, and personal fitness badges they strived to earn. The organization has a long history of technology-focused awards, though, including programming, robotics and nuclear science.

The Boy Scouts' newest survival skills are surprising -- and critical

In a sign of the times, Boy Scouts can now earn badges in artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity as they learn tech survival skills. The Boy Scouts of America, which rebranded as Scouting America after 115 years back in February, counts about 1 million scouts in its ranks, and has traditionally offered badges to encourage kids to learn outdoor survival skills like first aid, hiking, and cooking, or soft skills like public speaking, communication, and citizenship in the world. (Here's a look at all the 141 badges.) "The artificial intelligence (AI) merit badge introduces Scouts to the fundamentals of AI and automation through hands-on activities and real-world examples . . . used in daily life, school, and work, and examine ethical concerns like bias and privacy," according to the Scouting America website. To earn the new badges, scouts learn key AI concepts (machine learning, narrow AI, superintelligent AI, tasks, triggers, workflows, and variables), investigate deepfakes, and practice how to communicate effectively with AI. The badges are designed to interact with the Scoutly chat bot.