At the heart of the AI-Cybersecurity Essay Prize Competition is our aim to deepen understanding of AI’s role in cybersecurity. As cyber threats rapidly evolve, AI is at the forefront, shaping the next generation of cyber defenses and bringing new challenges and opportunities.
This competition invites researchers in cybersecurity and AI to put forward their perspectives on this crucial issue. A particular emphasis is placed on understanding the consequences for Europe, urging participants to delve into how these technological shifts affect European security and policy.
Winners will not only receive a monetary reward but also have their work published on Binding Hook, Virtual Routes’ platform for technology and security, and be celebrated at the 2025 Munich Security Conference (February 14-16, 2025).
“How will Artificial Intelligence change cybersecurity, and what are the implications for Europe? Discuss potential strategies that policymakers can adopt to navigate these changes.”
The prizes for the top essays are as follows:
The author of the winning essay will be invited to attend the 2025 Munich Security Conference (February 13-16, 2025), where they will be honored at the award ceremony. This presents a unique opportunity to stand in the global spotlight, engaging with leaders and innovators from various sectors and sharing insights on the pivotal role of AI in shaping the future of cybersecurity.
Essays will be reviewed by Binding Hook and a review board co-chaired by Kersti Kaljulaid, former President of the Republic of Estonia, and Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor at The Economist. It also includes the following experts: Heather Adkins, VP, Security Engineering & Head of Office of Cybersecurity Resilience at Google; Klaus Hommels, founder of Lakestar and Chair of the Board of Directors of the NATO Innovation Fund; Mikko Hyppönen, a security and privacy expert; Maria Markstedter, founder of Azeria Labs; Eva Maydell, Member of the European Parliament; and Max Smeets, Co-Director of Virtual Routes and Managing Editor of Binding Hook.
The deadline for submissions is 2 January 2025, 00:00 am CET.
Binding Hook is a web outlet created by Virtual Routes to gather expert perspectives on digital and emerging technologies and security. It centres the conversation on Europe in its global context through opinions and analysis from practitioners and researchers.
The AI-Cybersecurity Essay Prize Competition is sponsored by Google.
The competition is open to experts in cybersecurity and AI from any part of the world. All submissions must be in English.
We only accept single authored submissions.
No, there is no fee to enter the AI-Cybersecurity Essay Prize Competition.
The deadline for submissions is 2 January 2025, 00:00 am CET.
This competition represents a unique opportunity for professionals at the intersection of AI and cybersecurity to share their insights, gain international recognition, and contribute to the shaping of future policies. We look forward to receiving your submissions and to the innovative ideas you will bring to the forefront of cyber conflict research.
1st Place: €10,000
Runner-Up: €5,000
3rd Place: €2,500
4th-5th Places: €1,000
Winning entries will be published at Binding Hook, ECCRI’s media outlet focusing on technology and security.
Yes, the author of the winning essay will be invited to the 2025 Munich Security Conference held February 14-16, 2025 for the award ceremony.
Yes, you are welcome to participate in the competition even if you are unable to accept the prize money. However, winning the competition is conditional upon your attendance at the award ceremony during the 2025 Munich Security Conference (February 14-16, 2025).
Each participant may submit only one entry for the competition. Multiple submissions from the same participant will not be accepted.
We encourage original work for this competition. If you choose to use previously published research, the content should be significantly reworked to fit the competition question and provide new insights.
No, visual elements such as charts, graphs, or images are not allowed in the submissions. Essays should be purely text-based and focus on delivering a compelling, well-supported argument through written analysis.
The intellectual property (IP) rights of the essay remain with the author. Neither Binding Hook, the MSC, nor the sponsor, Google, claim ownership over the submissions.
Authors retain full rights to their work, ensuring their contributions are recognized and protected.
All essays must be submitted in English to ensure consistency and allow our international review board to assess the work.
No, once an essay is submitted, it cannot be modified or updated. Please ensure your essay is finalized before submission.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide feedback on essays. Only the winning and selected top entries will receive further communication.
The AI-Cybersecurity Essay Prize Competition (the “Competition”) is organized by Virtual Routes (“Virtual Routes”) in partnership with the Munich Security Conference (“MSC”). It is sponsored by Google (the “Sponsor”). By entering the Competition, participants agree to these Terms and Conditions (T&Cs).
The Competition is open to individuals worldwide who are experts in the fields of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (“AI”). Participants must ensure that their participation complies with local laws and regulations.
Essays must address the question: “How will Artificial Intelligence change cybersecurity, and what are the implications for Europe? Discuss potential strategies that policymakers can adopt to navigate these changes.”
Submissions must be original, unpublished works between 800-1200 words, excluding footnotes but including hyperlinks for references.
Essays must be submitted by 2 January 2025, 00:00 am CET., through the official submission portal provided by Virtual Routes.
Only single-authored essays are accepted. Co-authored submissions will not be considered.
Participants are responsible for ensuring their submissions do not infringe upon the intellectual property rights of third parties.
Essays will be judged based on insightfulness, relevance, originality, clarity, and evidence by a review board comprising distinguished figures from academia, industry, and government.
The decision of the review board is final and binding in all matters related to the Competition.
Prizes are as follows: 1st Place: €10,000; Runner-Up: €5,000; 3rd Place: €2,500; 4th-5th Places: €1,000 each. The winner will also be invited to attend The Munich Security Conference
The author retains ownership of the submitted essay.
By submitting the essay, the author grants Virtual Routes exclusive, royalty-free rights to use, reproduce, publish, distribute, and display the essay for purposes related to the Competition, including but not limited to educational, promotional, and research-related activities.
The author represents, warrants, and agrees that no essay submitted as part of the essay prize competition violates or infringes upon the rights of any third party, including copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, or other personal or proprietary rights, breaches, or conflicts with any obligation, such as a confidentiality obligation, or contains libellous, defamatory, or otherwise unlawful material.
The author agrees that the organizers can use your name (or your pseudonym) and an image of you in association with your essay for purposes of publicity, promotion and any other activity related to the exercise of its rights under these Terms.
The organizers may remove any essay-related content from its platforms at any time and without explanation.
The organizers may block contributions from particular email or IP addresses without notice or explanation.
The organizers may enable advertising on its platforms and associated social media accounts, including in connection with the display of your essay. The organizers may also use your Material to promote its products and services.
The organizers may, at its sole discretion, categorise Material, whether by means of ranking according to popularity or by any other criteria.
Personal information collected in connection with the Competition will be processed in accordance with Virtual Routes’ Privacy Policy. Participants agree to the collection, processing, and storage of their personal data for the purposes of the Competition.
Virtual Routes, MSC, and the Sponsor will not be liable for any damages arising from participation in the Competition, except where prohibited by law.
Participants agree to indemnify Virtual Routes, MSC, and the Sponsor against any claims, damages, or losses resulting from a breach of these T&Cs.
Virtual Routes reserves the right to cancel, suspend, or modify the Competition or these T&Cs if fraud, technical failures, or any other factor beyond Virtual Routes’ reasonable control impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Competition, as determined by Virtual Routes in its sole discretion.
Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Competition may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Virtual Routes reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law.
These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of the United Kingdom, without regard to its conflict of law principles. Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms and Conditions, including any question regarding its existence, validity, or termination, shall be referred to and finally resolved by the courts of the United Kingdom. The participants agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in the United Kingdom for the resolution of all disputes arising from or related to these Terms and Conditions or the Competition.
