OpenAI, a San Francisco-based artificial intelligence (AI) research and development lab, has recently announced the launch of its bug bounty program, offering rewards of up to $20,000 for the identification and reporting of security vulnerabilities in its products. The program is the first of its kind in the field of AI and is a major milestone for the advancement of safety and security in AI research.
OpenAI specializes in deep learning and reinforcement learning, as well as developing tools, services, and technologies designed to democratize access to and usage of AI. It has already deployed a range of AI models for tasks like natural language processing (NLP), computer vision, and reinforcement learning.
The announcement of its bug bounty program signifies a step forward in the security of its AI products and serves to underline the company’s commitment to safeguarding OpenAI’s technology and customers from potential security threats. The bug bounty program is hosted on the crowdsourced security platform HackerOne, a platform that has been used to power several successful bug bounty efforts, including those of Microsoft and the U.S. Department of Defense.
OpenAI noted that the program is open to anyone who has the knowledge and know-how to find security-related weaknesses in its products. A single bounty report can result in a financial reward of up to $20,000. Rewards, however, will be subject to the severity of the vulnerability and the quality of the report submitted.
OpenAI also noted that bounties may be fixed or variable, depending on the vulnerability. The program, initially launched on a limited basis, will soon be open to include additional products and platforms.
OpenAI’s bug bounty program encourages security researchers to test the security of the networks and products (on both the code and infrastructure levels). The crowdsource security initiative also serves to strengthen OpenAI’s commitment to stay ahead of emerging threats to AI products. It also sends a message that OpenAI is keen on creating safe and secure technologies—one of the prerequisites for AI-based solutions.
The launch of this bug bounty program is a proof that OpenAI is taking the mission of keeping its AI-content secure seriously. A similar move by other AI companies may further the cause of advancing privacy and security in the AI landscape.
