Recent years have seen growth in the capability and use of AI tools across society, including by business, academia, the media, and the economy more widely. Many institutions have embraced AI tools and models such as ChatGPT (OpenAI) and Gemini (Google) to provide solutions to a variety of challenges, from the everyday to the global. At the same time, many commentators have expressed concerns about bias in AI, its contribution to other global challenges like climate change, and that it may even be a threat to society or democracy.
The Phelan US Centre essay competition is a call for entries from current LSE masters students to write a 1000-word article on the threat or opportunity that AI may pose to the United States.
Essay Topic
"Is AI a threat or an opportunity for the US?”
Students are encouraged to interpret this prompt from a variety of perspectives, and an interdisciplinary focus is encouraged. Please note that essay submissions which do not answer this prompt will not be accepted or considered.
In preparing their essay, students are also encouraged to review content from recent LSE events on AI, including the October 2024 LSE Phelan US Centre event, What AI is doing to America's democracy with Professor Lawrence Lessig.
Deadline and how to submit
Essays must be submitted no later than 11:59pm on Friday 28 February 2025*. Please consult the essay competition FAQ document and the essay competition guidance on use of Generative AI before submitting your essay.
*Please note that since a key component of the essay competition is the winner's presentation to the British-American Parliamentary Group, the essay due date may be subject to change based on the UK parliamentary calendar.*
Please submit your essay as a Word document with the online form below, using your LSE email address. Please note that essays submitted via any other method, including by email, will not be considered.
Submit your essay competition entry
Prize
There will be an £500 cash prize for the winning entry, and £250 prizes for two runners-up.
The winning entry and runners up will also be published on the LSE United States Politics and Policy Blog (USAPP). With over 300,000 visits every year, this is an excellent chance for LSE students to publish their original work on the United States to a wider audience.
Presentation to the British-American Parliamentary Group in the UK Parliament
The winning student will present their essay to members of the British-American Parliamentary Group and other UK Members of Parliament (MPs) with an interest in capitalism. This will be a 15–20 minute in-person presentation summarising the main arguments of their essay in an engaging fashion. This will be followed by a Q&A session, at the UK Parliament in Westminster.
The BAPG is the interparliamentary group for Members of both Houses of Parliament of the United Kingdom to promote closer relations and understanding with Members of both Houses of the US Congress and other US political and leading figures.
Please note that the presentation to the BAPG is an essential part of the competition; the cash prize will be given following the presentation. The Phelan US Centre will provide support to the winning student in preparing the presentation.
Originality
All submitted master's student essay competition entries must be the original work of a current LSE Masters student, following the same standards of academic integrity as set out by the LSE. Any submissions found to be based in whole or in part on existing coursework or essays, copied from other resources, or AI generated, will be disqualified from the competition and the student’s home Department informed.
Essay competition information and effective essay writing advice sessions
On Wednesday 19 February 2025 at 2pm the Phelan US Centre team will be running an online information session via Zoom in to answer questions about the essay competition and to provide advice on writing an effective essay.
Register for the essay competition online information session
FAQs and use of Generative AI policy
Please read the essay competition FAQ document and guidance on the use of Generative AI before submitting your essay.
Further details
All submitted essay competition entries must be the original work of a current LSE Masters student, following the same standards of academic integrity as set out by LSE. Any submissions found to be based in whole or in part on existing coursework or essays, copied from other resources, or AI generated, will be disqualified from the competition and the student’s home Department informed.
Entries will be scored based on the following criteria:
- Title
- Topic
- Readability
- Use of evidence
The judging panel will be made up of a combination of the US Centre team and LSE faculty.
Submissions should be no more than 1000 words. Strong submissions will have followed the style guidelines (PDF) as set out in the US Centre’s USAPP blog style guide. Students are advised to consult articles posted on the USAPP blog for inspiration.
The Phelan US Centre essay competition is only open to LSE students at Master's level. Unfortunately, former, or future LSE Master's students are unable to apply. Entries from Undergraduate or PhD students will not be accepted.
All entries must be the original work of a current LSE Master's student. This includes the conceptual approach to the essay. While students can ask peers for their input on a draft - e.g. on whether their essay’s ideas, concepts and arguments are explained clearly and cogently - more collaborative assistance such as soliciting ideas and advice prior to writing and/or during drafting the essay would not be considered to be the original work of the entrant.
Students must ensure they follow the same standards of academic integrity as set out by LSE in their submission.
Watch the Phelan US Centre video featuring the 2023 climate change essay competition winner and runners-up
Phelan US Centre Climate Change Essay Competition
Header image: Photo by Michael Dziedzic on Unsplash