MIT AI Risk Repository · Risk Sub-Category · 41.05.01
Catastrophic risk due to autonomous weapons programmed with dangerous targets
Category: Security & Defense
Description
"AI could enable autonomous vehicles, such as drones, to be utilized as weapons. Such threats are often underestimated."
From The Rise of Artificial Intelligence - Future Outlooks and Emerging Risks (Allianz2018), as extracted by the MIT AI Risk Repository (CC BY 4.0).
Classification
- Domain
- 4. Malicious actors
- Causal entity
- Human
- 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
How other frameworks describe this risk
Other entries from Allianz2018
- Economic
- Increased income disparity
- Markets monopolization
- Political
- Biased influence through citizen screening and tailored propaganda
- Potential exploitation by totalitarian regimes
- Mobility
- Cyber security
- Liability issues in case of accidents
- Healthcare
- Alteration of social relationships may induce psychological distress
- Social manipulation in elderly- and child-care