Forget a degree—$30 billion defense startup Anduril will fast-track your job application if you can win its AI drone-flying contest

Landing a high-paying job right now can feel less like climbing a ladder and more like surviving a gauntlet—especially for Gen Z. Competition for entry-level roles is fierce, and generative AI has made it easier than ever to polish résumés and cover letters, making it harder for candidates to stand out on paper alone.

Anduril, a $30 billion defense tech startup, is approaching hiring with a radically different approach: Don’t tell us what you can do—fly it.

The company is launching an “AI Grand Prix”—an open-invitation event starting this spring for the world’s top engineers to prove their coding skills in a high-speed drone racing competition. The twist: Humans won’t be piloting, but their autonomous software will be. The competition is open to individuals, university teams, and research organizations. No professional credentials or certifications are required. The only prerequisite? A passion for AI programming.

The top 10 teams will split a $500,000 prize pool, while the highest-scoring participant could “win a job”—meaning they can ...