MIT AI Risk Repository · Risk Sub-Category · 22.01.01
Bioterrorism
Category: Malicious Use (Intentional)
Description
"AIs with knowledge of bioengineering could facilitate the creation of novel bioweapons and lower barriers to obtaining such agents."
From An Overview of Catastrophic AI Risks (Hendrycks2023), as extracted by the MIT AI Risk Repository (CC BY 4.0).
Classification
- Domain
- 4. Malicious actors
- Causal entity
- AI
- Intent
- Intentional
- Timing
- Post-deployment
Subdomain definition: Using AI systems to develop cyber weapons (e.g., coding cheaper, more effective malware), develop new or enhance existing weapons (e.g., Lethal Autonomous Weapons or CBRNE), or use weapons to cause mass harm.
Real-world incidents in this subdomain
- Anthropic's Claude Was Reportedly Jailbroken To Allegedly Help Steal Sensitive Mexican Government Data
- OpenAI ChatGPT Models Reportedly Jailbroken to Provide Chemical, Biological, and Nuclear Weapons Instructions
- Anthropic Reportedly Identifies AI Misuse in Extortion Campaigns, North Korean IT Schemes, and Ransomware Sales
- LAMEHUG Malware Reportedly Integrates Large Language Model for Real-Time Command Generation in a Purported APT28-Linked Cyberattack
- Reported AI-Aided Development of Explosive Devices by Long Island Resident Michael Gann
- AI Chatbot Allegedly Used to Research Explosive Materials in Palm Springs Fertility Clinic Bombing