OpenAI is delving deeper into crypto security with the launch of EVMbench, a new testing framework designed to measure how well artificial intelligence can understand and potentially secure smart contracts on Ethereum and similar blockchains.
Smart contracts, self-executing code implemented on blockchains like Ethereum, underpin decentralized exchanges, lending protocols, and a wide range of on-chain financial applications. Since these contracts are typically immutable once implemented, vulnerabilities can be serious.
EVMbench is OpenAI’s attempt to see if modern AI systems are up to the task of helping prevent such problems. Created in collaboration with cryptocurrency investment firm Paradigm, the benchmark is based on real-world smart contract vulnerabilities previously discovered through security audits and competitions.
The system measures performance through three core capabilities: identifying security bugs, exploiting those bugs in a controlled environment, and fixing vulnerable code without breaking contracts.
OpenAI says the goal is to establish a clear standard for evaluating AI systems in blockchain security, especially as decentralized finance continues to secure billions of dollars in user funds. The risks for smart contracts are only increasing.
“Smart contracts routinely secure over $100 billion in open source cryptoassets. As AI agents get better at reading, writing, and executing code, it becomes increasingly important to measure their capabilities in economically significant environments and encourage the use of AI systems defensively to audit and harden deployed contracts,” OpenAI wrote in a blog post.
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