Arr, me hearties! The blasted Pentagon be launchin' a contest fer scallywags to create smart pirate codes, fillin' gaps in our cyber defense!
2023-08-11
Arr, ye landlubbers at the Pentagon reckon that a good ol' contest be the key to makin' our national security shipshape! A bit o' competition brings forth newfangled ideas and keeps us scalawags on our toes, savvy?
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has announced the AI Cyber Challenge, a competition for companies to provide new AI platforms to identify and seal holes in national cybersecurity. The goal of the challenge is to create a diverse ecosystem of creative cyber competitors, empowered by the country's top AI firms, to secure the software infrastructure of the economy. The competition will last two years and involve multiple rounds of qualification and competition for a $4 million prize.Competitors will develop platforms to identify and fix bugs in various systems, such as the energy grid or transportation systems, which could be exploited by bad actors in a cyberattack. There are two tracks to choose from: the "Open Track," with no upfront funding, and the "Funded Track," which grants $1 million to seven small businesses for the initial phase of the challenge.
DARPA expects interest from major developers like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI. The initial teams will be narrowed down to 20 for the semifinals, and five will advance to the final in 2025. The director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy believes this collaboration between the public and private sectors can lead to significant advancements in cybersecurity.
DARPA Outreach finds the challenge model to be a great tool for forming new technology ecosystems, as prizes attract a diverse range of potential solvers. The agency emphasizes the ability to share resources with various communities, citing past competitions that turned smaller companies into major players. The AI Cyber Challenge aims to unleash novel approaches and demonstrate how AI can be used for the greater good by defending critical infrastructure.
In a humorous tone, DARPA Outreach states that the challenge will show how AI can be used to "chatgpt-proof" classes and assist 911 operators battered by tragedy and understaffing. The agency hopes to work with experts and individuals from different domains who have not worked with DARPA in the past.