In an Aug. 9 press release, the Biden administration revealed an opportunity for hackers to compete for substantial monetary rewards by applying artificial intelligence (AI) to safeguard vital United States infrastructure from cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
In spring 2024, a preliminary phase will select up to 20 high-performing teams to progress to the semifinals of DEF CON 2024, which is a major cybersecurity conference. Of these, a maximum of five teams will earn $2 million each and move on to the DEF CON 2025 finals. The top three teams will compete for extra prizes, including a $4 million award for the best safeguarding of vital software, according to the official press release from The White House.