Apple is offering a bug bounty of up to $1 million to those who can successfully hack its Private Cloud Compute (PCC) servers, critical to the Apple Intelligence service launching with iOS 18.1. This bounty aligns with Apple’s commitment to top-tier security, especially as these servers will handle complex tasks that go beyond the processing capabilities of individual devices.

While Apple Intelligence primarily processes data on iPhones, the more demanding requests are routed to PCC, a secure network of servers built with Apple’s custom silicon and a hardened operating system. Apple initially invited select researchers to test the security of PCC, providing a Virtual Research Environment and additional tools. Now, with the expanded bug bounty, Apple aims to attract a broader group to ensure any weaknesses are identified and fixed.

Apple Intelligence aims to provide a highly private AI experience by minimizing data sent to external servers, a notable contrast to the “hybrid AI” models of some Android competitors. By focusing on device-based processing and securing any cloud-based tasks within its advanced PCC architecture, Apple highlights its dedication to privacy and data protection at scale.