What is SL5Con?
SL5Con brings together ambitious security researchers for a day of nation-state security for AI.
It's hosted by Security Level 5, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit developing the SL5 Standard for protecting frontier AI against the most capable nation-state adversaries.
Specialists present their pet security projects and most ambitious ideas to a technical, expert audience.
What is it about?
Reaching SL5 in the next 12 to 24 months: security capable of withstanding priority operations from the most capable nation-state actors.
We work through the hard problems of getting there inside existing constraints and existing infrastructure. The program covers the following domains:
Machine
Confidential computing, firmware and the hardware root of trust.
Network
Air gaps, egress limits and how to move weights safely.
Physical
Facilities, access control and SCIF-grade data centers.
Personnel
Insider risk, vetting and running teams under SL5 rules.
Supply chain
High-assurance components, vendors and provenance.
Innovation in security
New approaches and tools that don't fit one domain.
Who is it for?
People in or around SL5 who want to make nation-state security a reality for frontier AI labs.
- Frontier AI labsSecurity leads and CISOs at the labs training the models.
- GovernmentNational security officials and former practitioners.
- CSPs and neocloudsCloud providers hosting frontier training and inference.
- Data center operatorsThe people who will build and run SL5 facilities.
- Chip and hardware vendorsTeams working on confidential computing and secure hardware.
- ResearchersSecurity, verification and threat modelling for AI.
What's the agenda?
Two streams of technical talks, plus one-on-ones all day. We finish with a happy hour.
Accepted attendees receive the full schedule and speaker list.
Is there a hackathon?
Yes: Defend the Data Centre, an online research sprint with Apart Research on December 4–6.
Teams build AI systems that scale threat intelligence and threat modelling to a nation-state standard. One track assesses capable, opaque adversaries. The other maps assets, trust boundaries and attack paths across a whole system. There's $5,000 in prizes. The sprint has its own signup, so you can join from anywhere without attending the conference.
Where is it?
Downtown San Francisco, near Salesforce Park.
- Address
- Sent with your acceptance
- At the door
- Photo ID and your badge
- Sessions
- Chatham House Rule, no recording
- Meals
- Provided
How do I attend?
- Send an expression of interestTell us who you are and what you work on. It takes a few minutes.
- We review every applicationWe're building a room of about 100 that covers every domain and stakeholder.
- Accepted attendees get the detailsAddress, schedule and speaker list.
Questions
Can I join only the research sprint?
Yes. The sprint runs online on December 4–6 and has its own signup through Apart Research.
Can I bring a colleague?
Each person applies on their own, so send them the link.
Will anything be recorded or published?
No. Sessions run under the Chatham House Rule: you can use what you hear, but not attribute it.
Who do I contact?
Email [email protected].