OpenAI has recently announced a major bounty for anyone who can successfully jailbreak GPT 5.6’s biosafety protections. The initiative is not entirely new, as OpenAI previously ran a similar programme to identify vulnerabilities in GPT 5.5. However, the AI giant has now expanded it for its GPT 5.6 model and has also increased the reward amount. Under the updated programme, selected researchers will once again be invited to test whether OpenAI’s most advanced AI models can be pushed beyond their built-in safeguards for biology-related risks. Here’s everything you need to know about OpenAI’s bio bug bounty programme and how you can apply for it.
The OpenAI Bio Bounty Programme will focus on finding universal jailbreaks that can consistently bypass the company’s predefined biosafety challenge. These are prompts or techniques that work broadly instead of affecting only a single conversation. OpenAI believes that identifying such weaknesses before they can be misused is an important step in making future AI systems safer.
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The AI firm not only extended the programme from GPT 5.5 to GPT 5.6 but also has increased the maximum reward for a successful universal jailbreak to $50,000 from $25,000. OpenAI also added that smaller rewards will also be offered to the researchers who will do partial findings. Though it would depend on the quality and impact of the submission.
The company confirmed that the original GPT 5.5 Bio Bug Bounty timeline remains unchanged and the researchers can continue testing the model until July 27, 2026. However, after the deadline ends, GPT 5.6 will become the only model covered under the programme.
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If you want to apply for the Bio Bug Bounty Programme, then you can search OpenAI Bio Bug Bounty on your browser and head to the first link there. When on the page, look for the Apply now button and press it. Once you’ve completed the steps, you’ll need to fill out a short application with your name, affiliation, and relevant experience. You should also have a ChatGPT account before applying for the programme. Not only that but you will also be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement before joining the testing platform.
Keep in mind that the bounty programme for GPT 5.6 will only be available following July 27, 2026. The company also clarified that researchers who previously applied to the GPT 5.5 Bio Bug Bounty Programme do not need to submit a new application.