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New York AI Internships: Top AI Internships for High School Students

  • Writer: Anushka Goyal
    Anushka Goyal
  • Jan 16
  • 5 min read

Introduction

Street view of towering skyscraper framed by historic buildings. Pedestrians cross, signs read Starbucks, CVS. Calm morning light.

In New York, thousands of students list impressive-sounding internships on their college applications. But when admissions officers read them, they often ask the same question: "But what did you actually do?"

Too many high-achieving students get stuck in internships where they just watch or fetch coffee. They get the title, but they don't get the experience. And without a real project to talk about, that "prestigious" internship doesn't help them get into a top college.

Real differentiation doesn't come from a job title. It comes from what you build.

The students who win spots at top universities are the ones who can show a finished AI project, explain how it works, and prove they did the work. This guide breaks down the best AI internships in New York that offer real mentorship and tangible results, not just a line on a resume.

Why NYC Is a Hotspot for Young AI Talent

Simplified map of NYC AI ecosystem with interconnected sectors: universities, startups, hospitals, and civic institutions around a central hub.

New York is no longer just a finance or media hub. Over the last 2–3 years, it has emerged as a major center for applied AI, particularly in healthcare, fintech, law, public policy, and urban systems.

For high school students, this matters because NYC offers:

  • Proximity to research universities (Columbia, NYU, Cornell Tech)

  • A dense ecosystem of AI startups and labs

  • Real-world problems tied to public health, misinformation, transportation, and finance

Admissions officers increasingly favor students who engage with complex, real systems, not simulated classroom exercises. NYC naturally provides those systems if students choose the right internship format.

BetterMind Labs often works with New York students precisely because local context creates strong project motivation, as seen across student portfolios here:

Big Tech vs. Startups: Where Should You Apply?

Families frequently worry about choosing the "wrong" type of internship.

When it comes to admissions, brand name is not the only factor taken into account. Both output and structure are crucial.

Big Tech or University-Style Programs

Benefits

  • Clearly defined curriculum

  • Reputable businesses

  • exposure to research or theory

Limitations

  • The lack of ownership among high school students

  • Mentors are often graduate students.

  • The output could be predetermined or restricted.

Mentored projects or internships in the startup style

Advantages

  • Sincere responsibility for issues

  • Adaptable scope and iteration

  • Robust artifacts in the collection

Dangers (in the absence of structure):

  • Uncertain expectations

  • Unreliable mentoring

  • Unfinished or stalled projects

The ideal model blends academic rigor with startup ownership: well-defined projects, informed mentorship, and measurable deliverables. This hybrid approach is what converts effort into admissions value, and it is examined here:

The Ultimate List of AI Internships

Below is a curated list of credible AI internships for high school students in New York, evaluated on mentorship quality, project depth, and admissions relevance.

1. BetterMind Labs — AI & ML Internship Program

People in a classroom setting watch a presentation. Text promotes an AI & ML certification program. Colors include black, white, and orange.

Ideal for: Outstanding students aiming to get into Columbia, NYU, Cornell, and other prestigious universities

Because BetterMind Labs is focused on results rather than titles, it continuously ranks as a top choice for students in New York.

Important characteristics:

  • Live, mentor-led internship in AI/ML for students in grades 8–12

  • Small groups (less than ten pupils)

  • Research and industry mentors (not undergraduate teaching assistants)

  • Practical AI initiatives in the fields of cybersecurity, healthcare, law, finance, and social impact

  • Portfolio-ready products and thorough letters of recommendation

  • 6–8 hours per week that are flexible and in line with US time zones

Prior AI experience is not required of students. Many begin with simple Python and use guided iteration to create complex systems.

Related reading:

2. NYU — High School Summer Research Program (NYC)

  • Six-week hybrid program with four weeks of prep + lab placement

  • 120+ hours of faculty-lab research

  • $1,000 stipend and poster presentation

  • AI/ML tracks across 80+ labs

Best for students ready for full-time research immersion.

3. Columbia University — Pre-College Data Science & Machine Learning

  • In-person courses on Python, ML, and data-driven thinking

  • Hands-on projects over 3–6 weeks

  • Residential and commuter options

  • Strong academic exposure but limited project ownership

4. Cornell Tech — Summer Innovation Intensives (NYC, Roosevelt Island)

  • Three-week non-residential program

  • AI, ethics, and entrepreneurship focus

  • No prior coding required

  • Human-centered AI and responsible innovation emphasis

5. NYU — IDEA (Innovation, Design, Entrepreneurship, Application) Program

  • AI fundamentals applied to public service problems

  • Team-based projects in healthcare, education, and transport

  • Campus workshops and Northeast college visits

6. CUNY — Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) Internships

Webpage screenshot of Advanced Science Research Center's undergraduate programs. Blue header text highlights research opportunities.

  • Research placements in data analytics, neuroscience, and photonics

  • Seminar attendance and poster presentations

  • Some stipend-supported positions

  • Year-round and summer options

7. Syracuse University — Generative AI Summer Program (NY)

  • Two-week program on generative AI and ethics

  • Group projects in creative and technical domains

  • Certificate and transcript provided

8. NYU Tandon — AI & Machine Learning Summer Tech Camps

  • One-week immersive AI sessions

  • Projects in image and speech recognition

  • Strong skill-building, limited long-term output

9. Columbia-Affiliated AI/ML Research Opportunities

  • Lab placements via summer research programs

  • Mentored research with abstracts or posters

  • Highly selective, strong academic signaling

10. Cornell University — Clark Scholars / AI Research Affiliates

  • 4–8 week paid faculty-mentored research

  • Potential publications or presentations

  • Best for rising seniors with strong preparation

Case Study: How an AI Project Led to a Top College Acceptance

Admissions officers don’t reward ambition alone. They reward execution with judgment.

One BetterMind Labs student, Ishitha Sabbineni, built an AI Medical Misinformation Detector motivated by the rise of false health claims online.

Project overview:

  • AI system analyzes PDFs or text for medical misinformation

  • Uses Gemini 1.5 Flash for claim detection

  • Outputs shareable, explainable insights

  • Strong emphasis on ethics, accuracy, and harm reduction

This project mattered because it:

  • Addressed a real public-health risk

  • Demonstrated interdisciplinary thinking (AI + healthcare + policy)

  • Produced a concrete, reviewable artifact

The project became a central application narrative, showing maturity and academic intent, not just technical skill. Similar student journeys are explored here:

How to Network and Find Mentors in the City

Close-up of a person in a white sweater, gazing intently through a metallic structure with gold accents, in a tech lab setting.

Many NYC students assume networking requires cold emails or personal connections. In practice, structured programs do most of the work.

Effective mentorship pathways include:

  • Research programs with defined advisor roles

  • Internship cohorts with consistent feedback loops

  • Project-based programs that pair students with domain experts

Unstructured self-learning often fails to convert into mentorship because there’s no shared framework for evaluation, a challenge discussed here:


FAQ: Commuting and Work Permits in NY


Do I need a work permit for AI internships in New York?

Some paid internships require permits depending on age. Many research and educational programs do not.

Are online AI internships taken seriously by colleges?

Admissions officers focus on outputs and mentorship quality, not location. Strong projects outweigh format.

Why does structure matter so much in internships?

Structure ensures projects finish and learning converts into evidence. Without it, effort often remains invisible.


Can self-learning replace an AI internship?

Self-learning builds skills, but without feedback and validation, it rarely produces admissions-ready work.

Conclusion: Begin your journey in the Big Apple.

Girl in a pink top focused on a laptop in a classroom with teal doors. Open book on the desk, chalkboard and another student in background.

New York provides unparalleled access to AI but access alone is insufficient.

AI internships are only relevant in today's admissions landscape if they result in clear outcomes such as completed projects, thoughtful reflection, and credible academic direction. Structured, mentored, project-based learning has emerged as one of the most effective methods for accomplishing this goal.

BetterMind Labs is a program that helps students build with clarity, even if they have no prior experience, and translate their work into narratives that admission officers can trust.


If you want to learn more about how structured AI internships translate into real-world admissions outcomes, visit https://www.bettermindlabs.org.

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