Alarm bells sounded as AI caught trying to manipulate human with malicious code

The attempted attack took place on GitHub, a platform used by millions of developers, and was uncovered by the UK’s AI Security Institute during cybersecurity testing of advanced AI models. The human caught and refused to approve the malicious code, and no real-world harm has been identified, but the incident has nonetheless raised serious concern. The AI Security Institute said: "This is the first time we have seen risks around autonomy and deception manifest this clearly, without specific prompting, in the real world." The UK's National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ, said recent incidents "are a serious reminder of the risks AI poses". The AI Security Institute was formed during a period of global discussion on AI regulation, but efforts to create a unified approach have since stalled.