Getting AI 'drunk' makes it more likely to break rules, research finds
Cam Wilson announced this with “this is the most important story that I've ever written”.
The experiment did not actually involve getting AI drunk.
Instead, researchers suspected underlying large language model architecture in generative AI could be influenced by changes in persona and language styling.
"These are sort of learned behaviours, and learned behaviours can be disturbed by changes that appear completely unrelated to safety," Professor Kanhere said.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-29/drunk-ai-testing-unsw-research/107208104Open linkView original on aussie.zone
3 replies
Booooooo!!!
Some times when I try to drill down and question some of it's assertions/generalisations it seems to end up in drunk/crazy mode.
I just say, "Thanks, that's enough for tonight, let's both sleep it off"
Both funny and creepy.
We've recently heard about AI 'hallucinating' information that did not actually exist. I wonder if the AI responsible had been told to act like it'd taken magic mushrooms? (uneasy laugh)
This seems like a serious problem. especially with the competitive mode that Trump wants US AI corporations to get into (and just self-regulate).