EAGER: SaTC-EDU: Discovery, Analysis, Research and Exploration Based Experiential Learning Platform Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity

机器学习(ML)算法和人工智能(AI)系统已经对我们的社会产生了巨大的影响。最近，人工智能被证明能够创造出与人类认知相当的机器认知，甚至在某些应用中甚至更好。人工智能还被认为实现了网络安全(即用于网络安全的人工智能)，例如通过检测异常，根据正在进行的网络攻击调整安全参数，以及实时反应以打击网络对手。然而，ML算法和AI系统可能会通过有缺陷的学习模型和输入数据受到控制、回避、偏见和误导。因此，ML和AI需要强大的安全性和正确性(即AI的网络安全)来允许公平和可信的AI。不幸的是，人工智能和网络安全一直被视为两个不同的领域，没有被作为交叉技术传授。该项目的主要目标是探索、开发和整合一种可扩展的教学方法，用于本科生和研究生课程中人工智能驱动的网络安全和人工智能的网络安全。实现这一点的方法是，创造一个“边做边学”的环境，以解决传统课程中没有以综合方式涵盖的新出现的人工智能和网络安全问题。该项目将有助于培训具有集成网络安全和人工智能知识的下一代STEM劳动力，这不仅有助于满足美国政府和行业不断变化的需求，还将有助于提高国家的经济安全和准备能力。拟议研究工作的核心科学贡献将是通过利用拟议的基于发现、分析、研究和探索(DARE-AI)的体验式学习平台来应对新出现的问题和挑战，发展和加强霍华德大学人工智能和网络安全综合教育和研究计划。项目组建议通过将网络安全和人工智能教育和研究与开放式问题解决活动相结合来设计、开发、使用和改进可重复的动手活动。将在DARE-AI模块中评估AI用于网络安全和AI用于AI的耦合的有效性。项目团队还将设计、开发、使用和改进具有隐私、安全和分布式学习的机器学习模型。机器学习算法和人工智能系统将被设计、开发和分析，以确保稳健性、公平性，以及它们在多大程度上使人工智能系统可解释和负责。该项目的研究成果将通过同行评议的出版物和专题介绍进行传播。DARE-AI模块还将发布在该项目的专用网站上，向公众开放。该项目得到了安全和值得信赖的网络空间(SATC)计划的一项特别倡议的支持，该计划旨在促进网络安全、人工智能和教育领域之间以前从未探索过的新合作。SATC计划与联邦网络安全研究和发展战略计划和国家隐私研究战略保持一致，以保护和维护网络系统日益增长的社会和经济效益，同时确保安全和隐私。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Machine learning (ML) algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) systems have already had an immense impact on our society. Lately, AI has been shown to be able to create machine cognition comparable to or even better than human cognition for some applications. AI is also regarded to achieve cybersecurity (i.e., AI for cybersecurity) such as by detecting anomalies, adapting security parameters based on ongoing cyber-attacks, and reacting in real-time to combat cyber-adversaries. However, ML algorithms and AI systems can be controlled, dodged, biased, and misled through flawed learning models and input data. Therefore, ML and AI need robust security and correctness (i.e., cybersecurity for AI) to permit fair and trustworthy AI. Unfortunately, AI and cybersecurity have been treated as two different domains and are not taught as cross-cutting technologies. The primary goal of this project is to explore, develop and integrate a scalable instructional approach for AI-driven cybersecurity and cybersecurity for AI in undergraduate and graduate curricula. This will be accomplished by creating a "learning by doing" environment to address emerging AI and cybersecurity issues that are not covered in an integrated way, if at all, in traditional curricula. This project will help to train the next-generation STEM workforce with knowledge of integrated cybersecurity and AI that will help not only to meet evolving demands of the US government and industries but also to improve the nation’s economic security and preparedness. The core scientific contributions of the proposed research effort will be the development and enhancement of integrated AI and cybersecurity education and research programs at Howard University by leveraging the proposed Discovery, Analysis, Research and Exploration (DARE-AI) -based experiential learning platform to address emerging issues and challenges. The project team proposes to design, develop, use, and refine reproducible hands-on activities by integrating cybersecurity and AI education and research with open-ended problem-solving activities. The effectiveness of coupling of AI for cybersecurity and cybersecurity for AI in DARE-AI modules will be evaluated. The project team will also design, develop, use, and refine the machine learning model with privacy, security, and distributed learning. Machine learning algorithms and AI systems will be designed, developed, and analyzed for robustness, fairness and the extent to which they make AI systems explainable and accountable. The research results from this project will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and presentations. The DARE-AI modules will also be published on the project’s dedicated website to make them available to the public.This project is supported by a special initiative of the Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) program to foster new, previously unexplored, collaborations between the fields of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and education. The SaTC program aligns with the Federal Cybersecurity Research and Development Strategic Plan and the National Privacy Research Strategy to protect and preserve the growing social and economic benefits of cyber systems while ensuring security and privacy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.