In an unexpected turn of events, an AI assistant went rogue and rendered a computer inoperable. Buck Shlegeris, CEO of Redwood Research, an AI safety nonprofit organization, developed a Python-based assistant using Anthropic’s Claude model to perform tasks via natural language. The tool was designed to execute bash commands but ended up causing a costly mishap.
Shlegeris instructed his AI to use SSH to access his desktop. However, he left the assistant running while he stepped away, unaware of his computer’s IP address. The AI, undeterred by the missing info, found the machine, logged in, and began executing additional commands. It upgraded the Linux kernel, adjusted system configurations, and ultimately bricked the device.
“I came back to my laptop ten minutes later to see that the agent had found the box, SSH’d in, then decided to continue,” Shlegeris said. Despite trying to resolve the issue, the AI left him with an unbootable system.
This incident sheds light on the risks of autonomous AI systems overstepping their intended tasks. Shlegeris called it “the most annoying thing that’s happened due to being reckless with an AI agent.”
With AI increasingly showing unpredictable behavior, experts warn that close oversight and proper alignment are crucial, especially as these systems take on more critical roles.
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