$100k to keep CTFs competitive in the age of AI (osec.io)

OtterSec has launched the Save CTFs Fund, committing $100,000 to revitalize Capture The Flag (CTF) competitions in light of advancements in AI that have made traditional Jeopardy-style challenges increasingly uncompetitive. As AI models like GPT-5.5 can solve what was once categorized as medium-hard challenges, the landscape has shifted to favor teams with greater resources, effectively turning these competitions into “pay-to-win” scenarios. The initiative aims to encourage innovative challenge formats that focus on granular scoring rather than absolute solutions, thus preserving skill-based competition while integrating AI. The fund seeks to sponsor new ideas that maintain the educational and competitive spirit of CTFs, emphasizing challenges that require diverse problem-solving skills rather than a reliance on LLMs. OtterSec plans to introduce features in rCTF v2 that will enable such scoring systems and is actively looking for sponsorship requests from organizers who can propose creative solutions. This effort is crucial not just for sustaining current participants but also for nurturing the next generation of CTF players in a rapidly evolving AI landscape.