Hacker infiltrated OpenAI’s messaging system and ‘stole details’ about AI tech | EUROtoday

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A hacker gained entry to the inner messaging methods of synthetic intelligence developer OpenAI and “stole details” of its applied sciences, it has been revealed.

The information breach occurred earlier this yr, although the corporate selected to not make it public or inform authorities as a result of it didn’t contemplate the incident a menace to nationwide safety.

Sources near the matter instructed The New York Timesthat the hacker lifted particulars of the AI applied sciences from discussions in an internet discussion board the place staff talked about OpenAI’s newest applied sciences.

They didn’t, nonetheless, get into the methods the place the corporate homes and builds its synthetic intelligence, the sources mentioned.

OpenAI executives revealed the incident to staff throughout a gathering on the firm’s San Francisco workplaces in April 2023. The board of administrators was additionally knowledgeable.

However, the sources instructed the newspaper that executives determined to not share the information publicly as a result of no details about clients or companions had been stolen.

The incident was not thought of a menace to nationwide safety as a result of they believed the hacker was a non-public particular person with no identified ties to a overseas authorities. As such, the OpenAI bosses allegedly didn’t inform the FBI or different legislation enforcement.

But for some staff, The Times reported, the information raised fears that overseas adversaries akin to China may steal AI expertise that would finally endanger US nationwide safety.

It additionally led to questions on how significantly OpenAI was treating safety, and uncovered fractures inside the corporate in regards to the dangers of synthetic intelligence.

After the breach, Leopold Aschenbrenner, an OpenAI technical program supervisor, targeted on guaranteeing that future AI applied sciences don’t trigger critical hurt, despatched a memo to the corporate’s board of administrators.

Aschenbrenner argued that the corporate was not doing sufficient to stop the Chinese authorities and different overseas adversaries from stealing its secrets and techniques.

He additionally mentioned OpenAI’s safety wasn’t robust sufficient to guard in opposition to the theft of key secrets and techniques if overseas actors had been to infiltrate the corporate.

Aschenbrenner later alleged that OpenAI had fired him this spring for leaking different info exterior the corporate and argued that his dismissal had been politically motivated. He alluded to the breach on a latest podcast, however particulars of the incident haven’t been beforehand reported.

“We appreciate the concerns Leopold raised while at OpenAI, and this did not lead to his separation,” an OpenAI spokeswoman, Liz Bourgeois, instructed The New York Times.

“While we share his commitment to building safe AGI, we disagree with many of the claims he has since made about our work.

“This includes his characterizations of our security, notably this incident, which we addressed and shared with our board before he joined the company.”