Defense Department offers $18.5 million prize to protect critical infrastructure

Share post:

The Defense Department is offering a $18.5 million prize to cybersecurity professionals who can develop innovative AI tools to protect critical infrastructure from cyberattacks.

The two-year challenge, called the AI Cyber Challenge (AIxCC), will be held in conjunction with the DEF CON hacking conferences in 2024 and 2025. Participants will compete to develop AI-powered systems that can automatically detect and defend against cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, such as power grids, water treatment plants, and transportation systems.

The AIxCC is part of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) larger effort to use artificial intelligence to improve cybersecurity. The agency believes that AI has the potential to revolutionize cybersecurity by automating many of the tasks that are currently done by human analysts.

“The recent gains in AI, when used responsibly, have remarkable potential for securing our code,” said Perri Adams, program manager at DARPA’s Information Innovation Office. “This challenge is an opportunity to apply some of our greatest technical resources to protecting Americans.”

The AIxCC is open to individuals and teams from all over the world. To participate, teams must submit a proposal that outlines their approach to using AI to improve cybersecurity. The top five teams will be invited to compete in the final round of the challenge at DEF CON 2025. The winning team will receive a $4 million prize.

In addition to the prize money, the AIxCC winners will also have the opportunity to work with DARPA to further develop their technologies.

The sources for this piece include an article in Axios.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Related articles

ASUS Tackles GPU Sag with Built-In Gyroscopes in ROG Strix Cards

ASUS is taking a high-tech approach to a common PC hardware problem: graphics card sag. The company will...

Duolingo’s AI-First Strategy Replaces Hundreds of Contractors in Major Shift

Duolingo, the language learning company, is moving to an AI-first operational model, replacing hundreds of contract workers with...

The SaaS Security Risks You’re Ignoring 🚨 Cyber Security Today Weekend for April 26

Support us at buymeacoffee.com/techpodcast Are you overlooking critical SaaS security risks? 🚨 In this episode, host Jim Love is...

Tesla’s Optimus Robot Production Stopped Chinese Rare Earth Restrictions

Tesla’s ambitious plans to mass-produce its Optimus humanoid robot have hit a significant roadblock: China’s tightening grip on...

Become a member

New, Relevant Tech Stories. Our article selection is done by industry professionals. Our writers summarize them to give you the key takeaways