The White House on Wednesday launched a competition offering millions of dollars in prize money for creating new artificial intelligence systems that can defend critical software from hackers.
Competitors vying for some of the $18.5 million in prize money will need to design novel AI systems that quickly find and fix software vulnerabilities in electric grids, subways or other key networks that could be exploited by hackers, President Joe Biden's administration said.
"This competition will be a clarion call for all kinds of creative people in organizations to bolster the security of critical software that American families and businesses and all of our society relies on," the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Arati Prabhakar, told a briefing.
To boost participation, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) running the competition will put $7 million into funding small businesses that want to compete, according to the White House.
DARPA is collaborating with AI tech titans Anthropic, Google, Microsoft, and ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, which will provide expertise and technology for the competition, Prabhakar said.
The challenge is intended to "bring together diverse thinkers from all across the nation to think about how we can use AI to dramatically improve cybersecurity," Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology Anne Neuberger said in the briefing.
The challenge was announced in Las Vegas at a cyber security conference ahead of a Def Con gathering where hackers will attempt to penetrate various AI systems.
"We'll have thousands of people over two and a half days red teaming leading AI models to see how they stack up," Prabhakar said.
Red teaming is a tech industry reference to testing systems by fiercely attacking them the way hackers would.
"In cybersecurity, there's always a race between offense and defense," Neuberger said.
"We see the promise of AI in enabling defense to be one step ahead."
Biden evoked AI's "enormous" risk and promise last month at a White House meeting with tech leaders who committed to guarding against everything from cyber-attacks to fraud as the sector revolutionizes society.
Standing alongside top representatives from Amazon, Anthropic, Google, Inflection, Meta, Microsoft and OpenAI, Biden said the cutting-edge companies had made commitments to "guide responsible innovation" as AI rips ever deeper into personal and business life.
Artificial Intelligence Analysis
The Three AI Analysts
Defense Industry Analyst:
8/10The defense industry analyst would find this article relevant as it discusses the White House launching a competition to create new AI systems to defend critical software from hackers. This is of particular interest to the defense industry, as these AI systems could be used to protect military networks and help the US stay ahead in the tech arms race. The primary audience for the defense industry analyst would be those working in the defense sector, military personnel, defense contractors, and government officials.
Stock Market Analyst:
6/10The stock market analyst would find this article relevant as it provides insight into the potential for companies involved in developing AI software to benefit from the competition. The competition could also lead to increased investment in the sector as companies invest in research and development of these systems. The primary audience for the stock market analyst would be investors, executives at companies within the sector, and those in the finance industry.
General Industry Analyst:
7/10The general industry analyst would find this article relevant as it provides insight into the potential for businesses and organizations to benefit from the development of AI systems to defend critical software from hackers. This could lead to increased investment in the industry, which could have an impact on the economy as a whole. The primary audience for the general industry analyst would be those in the tech industry, business leaders, and policy makers.
Analyst Summary
:The White House recently announced a competition offering $18.5 million in prize money for creating new artificial intelligence systems that can defend critical software from hackers. The challenge is being run by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and will be supported by tech organizations such as Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI. The competition is intended to bring together diverse thinkers to use AI to improve cybersecurity. It could lead to increased investment in the sector, which could have an impact on the economy and the defense industry as a whole.This announcement is an example of how the US is actively investing in the development of AI systems and staying ahead in the tech arms race. It is a notable development given the importance of cybersecurity in the modern world and the need for organizations and businesses to protect their networks from hackers. This has been a growing concern over the past 25 years, with organizations investing in more advanced technology to protect their networks.Investigative
Question:
- 1. What criteria are being used to judge the entries in the competition?
- 2. What are the potential long-term benefits of this competition for the US defense industry?
- 3.
What steps is the US taking to ensure that the AI systems remain secure and private?4. What are the potential implications of the competition for the global economy?
5. How will the competition help to advance the development of AI technology?
This AI report is generated by a sophisticated prompt to a ChatGPT API. Our editors clean text for presentation, but preserve AI thought for our collective observation. Please comment and ask questions about AI use by Spacedaily. We appreciate your support and contribution to better trade news.
