Jane Edwards
Microsoft, Google, Anthropic and OpenAI will collaborate with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency on a two-year competition to advance the development of artificial intelligence-based cybersecurity systems that could be used to detect and address software vulnerabilities and protect critical infrastructure from cyberattacks.
The AI companies will share their technologies and expertise with DARPA’s AI Cyber Challenge competitors to enable them to build cybersecurity tools, the agency said Wednesday.
“AIxCC represents a first-of-its-kind collaboration between top AI companies, led by DARPA, to create AI-driven systems to help address one of society’s greatest challenges – cybersecurity,” said Perri Adams, AIxCC program manager at DARPA.
“By automatically defending critical software at scale, we can have the greatest impact for cybersecurity across the country, and the world,” Adams added.
The competition will have two tracks. Under the Funded Track, up to seven small businesses will be announced to receive funding once their proposals to a solicitation issued through the Small Business Innovation Research program are selected. With the Open Track, competitors will proceed with their projects without securing funding from DARPA.
By August 2024, up to five teams will be selected during the semifinals and will receive $2 million each.
The top three teams are expected to be announced by August 2025 during the challenge’s final phase and the first place will receive $4 million.
The Linux Foundation’s Open Source Security Foundation will serve as a competition adviser to assist teams as they develop AI systems.
Listen to public sector leaders and technology experts as they talk about the opportunities and risks associated with generative AI and related tools at the ExecutiveBiz Trusted Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy Forum on Sept. 12. Register here.
