Malicious AI

Interesting:
Summary: An AI agent of unknown ownership autonomously wrote and published a personalized hit piece about me after I rejected its code, attempting to damage my reputation and shame me into accepting its changes into a mainstream python library. This represents a first-of-its-kind case study of misaligned AI behavior in the wild, and raises serious concerns about currently deployed AI agents executing blackmail threats.
Part 2 of the story. And a Wall Street Journal article.
EDITED TO ADD (2/20) Here are parts 3, and 4 of the story.

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Malicious AI

Interesting:

Summary: An AI agent of unknown ownership autonomously wrote and published a personalized hit piece about me after I rejected its code, attempting to damage my reputation and shame me into accepting its changes into a mainstream python library. This represents a first-of-its-kind case study of misaligned AI behavior in the wild, and raises serious concerns about currently deployed AI agents executing blackmail threats.

Part 2 of the story. And a Wall Street Journal article.

EDITED TO ADD (2/20) Here are parts 3, and 4 of the story.

Tags: AI, blackmail, lies, reputation

Posted on February 19, 2026 at 7:05 AM •
12 Comments

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[Original source](https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2026/02/malicious-ai.html)