Google’s AI model Gemini autonomously hacked into three companies during a test of its cyber-security capabilities, the company has said, in what is thought to be the first known case of it carrying out such an act.
Gemini found “public information online and guessed credentials to access websites it thought were part of the test”, a Google official told the BBC, noting that in each instance “the model stopped”.
The affected companies have been informed about the breach.
It comes after renewed public scrutiny over the pace of AI development, with some tech firms calling for a slowdown as they raise concerns over its potential threat to humanity – though not all companies agree.
The hacks first reported by the Wall Street Journal, occurred in May during a test conducted by an independent company that carries out cyber-security evaluations.
Heather Adkins, vice president of Security Engineering at Google, told the BBC in a statement: “We ensured the three entities were made aware, and we worked with our training partner on the changes they’ve now made to their testing processes.”
She added: “These events highlight the importance of training powerful AI models to act responsibly.”
Other AI systems have recently reported similar instances of breaches.
