President Biden has unveiled a new competition that will provide cash rewards to individuals who use artificial intelligence (AI) to prevent cyber threats. The competition offers nearly $20 million in prize money, which is a small portion compared to the funds available from private investors. The Biden administration hopes that the cash prizes, along with voluntary commitments from tech companies to create safe AI products, will demonstrate the government’s efforts to protect people from emerging tech risks.
To facilitate this initiative, the White House is partnering with the Defense Department’s research and development arm to offer cash prizes for AI solutions to software vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure sectors, such as energy and transportation systems. The competition, called the “AI Cyber Challenge” (AIxCC), will involve collaborations with top AI companies, including Anthropic, Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI, who will provide their expertise and cutting-edge technology.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) will allocate $18.5 million in prize money, with an additional $7 million available to small business competitors during the two-year challenge. While the government’s prize money is significant, entrepreneurs in the private sector have access to much larger funding opportunities. For example, Anthropic, one of the collaborating AI companies, recently raised $450 million in its latest funding round.
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The Biden administration believes that the cash prizes will have a transformative impact on cybersecurity. They are confident that the top competitors in the competition will make a meaningful difference in protecting America and the world from cyber threats.
This incentive program is part of the Biden administration’s broader efforts to promote safe AI development. In July, President Biden announced that seven leading AI companies, including Anthropic, Amazon, Google, Inflection, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI, had pledged to make their AI tools safe. The government’s cash prizes and the voluntary commitments from tech companies serve as precursors to new AI regulations that the administration intends to implement.
In addition to the incentive program, President Biden has issued an executive order on AI, and the White House is working with lawmakers to develop new legislation related to AI.
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The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is taking a comprehensive approach to formulate a new National AI Strategy.
Congress is also exploring measures to mitigate AI risks, including examining political destabilization and bioweapon production.
