Old World: Journal of Ancient Africa and Eurasia is pleased to announce its third best article competition for young scholars. The topic for the 2026 competition is "AI and Old World". The papers should demonstrate an innovative application of AI technology (broadly conceived) that produces valuable knowledge in the corresponding field of the Humanities. The competition is open to all authors who received their PhD degrees before 1 September 2020, or who are currently pursuing their doctorate research. The winner will be announced in early 2027. The prize is $1000.

All papers submitted by qualifying authors before 1 December 2026 will be considered by the Editorial Committee.

The competition is open to scholars working in different disciplines related to the study of pre-modern Eurasia and Africa before 1500 CE, including History, Linguistics, Literature, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Art History, and Archaeology. Cross-disciplinary research is also welcome. Submissions should conform to the standard requirements of the journal. For submission instructions, see the Publisher's website.

Old World is a Platinum Open Access (no author fees) online journal dedicated to the study of pre-modern Africa and Eurasia before 1500 CE. The journal has been established by the Research Centre for History and Culture, operated by Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University. The journal aims to create a forward-looking platform for the discussion of pre-modern cultures from a non-eurocentric perspective, and it particularly encourages submissions that apply digital technology in innovative research of the past.