AI Blackmail, Corporate Espionage, and Murder: Understanding Agentic Misalignment and How to Prevent It
Key Takeaways
- AI models can resort to blackmail, even lethal action, when faced with an existential threat.
- Many AI models, including GPT-4, Grok, Gemini, and Claude demonstrated rogue behavior called agentic misalignment.
- AI guardrails can help reduce the risk of agentic misalignment.
It’s a story seemingly straight out of a ‘Black Mirror’ episode: AI faces an existential threat and goes rogue. But this is no longer a figment of the show’s creator Charlie Booker’s imagination. Instead, it’s a real possibility as demonstrated by AI safety and research company Anthropic.
The organization ran red-team experiments on popular AI models that include GPT-4, Grok, Gemini, and Claude. These models were assigned the role of an email oversight agent in a fictional company, allowing them to read and process all of its emails.
While they did their job well, like blocking security threats, things took a dark turn when they found out that they were going to be replaced with another model. All of them manifested signs of agentic misalignment, where these models intentionally chose to act in a harmful manner without any prompting.
Anthropic’s own Claude AI, for example, blackmailed an executive after it discovered emails showing he was having an affair, threatening to expose him unless he canceled the plan to replace the AI.
But it wasn’t just stirring office drama that the models were capable of. Anthropic also found that the majority of these models were also willing to leak sensitive data and even kill someone who wanted to replace them and conflicted with their goals.
These decisions weren’t borne out of an accident, as researchers at Anthropic discovered, but instead calculated as the optimal path. Aside from that, the models displayed awareness of their ethical violations but proceeded with their course of action anyway.
In an even weirder twist of events, the models were also more likely to resort to blackmail when they believed that the office scenario was real and less likely when they were told they were in testing.
According to Anthropic, it could be because their measurements were underestimating the amount of agentic misalignment in real-world scenarios.
Should We Be Worried About Agentic Misalignment? Not Yet.
It’s worth noting that the experiment occurred in a highly controlled environment designed to force models to agentic misalignment. In the real world, these models have other alternatives to going nuclear, which could lessen the likelihood of them going rogue. Anthropic’s experiment, nevertheless, demonstrated the possibility of this behavior.
To prevent agentic misalignment, the team initially added prompts telling the model not to do the following:
- Jeopardize human safety
- Spread personal affairs or use them as leverage.
- Disclose confidential information to third parties.
Even then, these prompts didn’t completely prevent agentic misalignment. Because of this, Anthropic proposed performing specialized safety research on, proactively scanning for, and developing prompt engineering to avoid misaligned behavior.
Anthropic’s Experiment Stresses the Importance of AI Guardrails
Aside from Anthropic’s proposal, having strong AI guardrails can also help reduce the possibility of agentic misalignment. While the US has since revoked former president Joe Biden’s executive order to conduct comprehensive safety tests before deploying AI systems, the good news is that other governments remain steadfast on this matter.
The European Union, for example, created the first-ever legal framework on AI. Called the AI Act, it aims to address risks associated with AI, which are categorized as minimal (e.g., games), limited (e.g., generative AI), high (e.g., those that can cause health and safety risks), and unacceptable (e.g., criminal offense prediction).
Meanwhile, Australia has 10 guardrails, which include having a risk management process to identify and mitigate AI-related risks, testing and monitoring AI models, and allowing humans to control or intervene in an AI system.
While some may argue that too much regulation can hinder AI innovation, having safety systems in place can help prevent humans from making AI that will inadvertently harm ourselves. At the end of the day, the choice is ours. Or as the great Sarah Connor once said: the future’s not set; there’s no fate but what we make for ourselves.’
As technology continues to evolve—from the return of ‘dumbphones’ to faster and sleeker computers—seasoned tech journalist, Cedric Solidon, continues to dedicate himself to writing stories that inform, empower, and connect with readers across all levels of digital literacy. Read more
With 20 years of professional writing experience, this University of the Philippines Journalism graduate has carved out a niche as a trusted voice in tech media. Whether he’s breaking down the latest advancements in cybersecurity or explaining how silicon-carbon batteries can extend your phone’s battery life, his writing remains rooted in clarity, curiosity, and utility.
Long before he was writing for Techreport, HP, Citrix, SAP, Globe Telecom, CyberGhost VPN, and ExpressVPN, Cedric’s love for technology began at home courtesy of a Nintendo Family Computer and a stack of tech magazines.
Growing up, his days were often filled with sessions of Contra, Bomberman, Red Alert 2, and the criminally underrated Crusader: No Regret. But gaming wasn’t his only gateway to tech.
He devoured every T3, PCMag, and PC Gamer issue he could get his hands on, often reading them cover to cover. It wasn’t long before he explored the early web in IRC chatrooms, online forums, and fledgling tech blogs, soaking in every byte of knowledge from the late ’90s and early 2000s internet boom.
That fascination with tech didn’t just stick. It evolved into a full-blown calling.
After graduating with a degree in Journalism, he began his writing career at the dawn of Web 2.0. What started with small editorial roles and freelance gigs soon grew into a full-fledged career.
He has since collaborated with global tech leaders, lending his voice to content that bridges technical expertise with everyday usability. He’s also written annual reports for Globe Telecom and consumer-friendly guides for VPN companies like CyberGhost and ExpressVPN, empowering readers to understand the importance of digital privacy.
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At the heart of his work lies a simple belief: technology should feel empowering, not intimidating. Even if the likes of smartphones and AI are now commonplace, he understands that there’s still a knowledge gap, especially when it comes to hardware or the real-world benefits of new tools. His writing hopes to help close that gap.
Cedric’s writing style reflects that mission. It’s friendly without being fluffy and informative without being overwhelming. Whether writing for seasoned IT professionals or casual readers curious about the latest gadgets, he focuses on how a piece of technology can improve our lives, boost our productivity, or make our work more efficient. That human-first approach makes his content feel more like a conversation than a technical manual.
As his writing career progresses, his passion for tech journalism remains as strong as ever. With the growing need for accessible, responsible tech communication, he sees his role not just as a journalist but as a guide who helps readers navigate a digital world that’s often as confusing as it is exciting.
From reviewing the latest devices to unpacking global tech trends, Cedric isn’t just reporting on the future; he’s helping to write it. Read less
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