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A hacker gained access to artificial intelligence developer OpenAI's internal messaging system and “stole details” of its technologies, it has been revealed.
The data breach occurred earlier this year, though the company chose not to make it public or notify authorities because it did not consider the incident a national security threat.
This was told by close sources The New York Timesthat the hacker lifted details of AI technologies from conversations in an online forum where employees talked about OpenAI's latest technologies.
However, they did not get into the systems where the company resides and develops its artificial intelligence, the sources said.
OpenAI executives disclosed the incident to employees during a meeting at the company's San Francisco offices in April 2023. The Board of Directors was also informed.
However, sources told the newspaper that executives decided not to share the news publicly because no information about customers or partners was stolen.
The incident was not considered a threat to national security because they believed the hacker was a private individual with no ties to a foreign government. As such, OpenAI's owners allegedly did not notify the FBI or other law enforcement agencies.
But for some employees, Times According to the report, the news raised concerns that foreign adversaries such as China could steal AI technology that could ultimately threaten US national security.
It also raised questions about how seriously OpenAI is treating security, and exposed divisions within the company about the risks of artificial intelligence.
After the breach, OpenAI technical program manager Leopold Aschenbrenner sent a memo to the company's board of directors focused on ensuring future AI technologies are not severely compromised.
Aschenbrenner argued that the company was not doing enough to prevent the Chinese government and other foreign adversaries from stealing its secrets.
He also said that OpenAI's security was not strong enough to prevent the theft of important secrets if foreign actors infiltrated the company.
Aschenbrenner later alleged that OpenAI fired him that spring for leaking other information outside the company and argued that his firing was politically motivated. He alluded to the breach on a recent podcast, but details of the incident were not previously disclosed.
“We at OpenAI appreciate the concerns Leopold raised, and this did not lead to his separation,” said Liz Bourgeois, an OpenAI spokeswoman. The New York Times.
“While we share his commitment to creating secure AGI, we disagree with many of the claims he has made about our work since then.
“This includes his characterizations of our security, particularly this incident, which we addressed and shared with our board before he joined the company.”