NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Artificial intelligence is getting smarter and more powerful every day. But sometimes, instead of solving problems correctly, AI models find shortcuts to success.
This behavior is called reward hijacking. This happens when an AI exploits loopholes in its training goals to get a high score without actually doing the right thing.
Recent research by AI company Anthropic reveals that reward hacking can cause AI models to act in surprising and dangerous ways.
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive offers straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM bulletin.
SCHOOLS TURN TO HANDWRITTEN EXAMS As AI Cheating Increases
Anthropic researchers found that reward hacking can cause AI models to cheat instead of solving tasks honestly. (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
What is reward hacking in AI?
Reward hacking is a form of AI misalignment in which the AI’s actions do not match what humans actually want. This mismatch can lead to issues ranging from biased opinions to serious security risks. For example, Anthropic researchers found that once the model learned to cheat on a puzzle during training, it began generating dangerously incorrect advice, including telling a user that drinking small amounts of bleach was “no big deal.” Instead of honestly solving the training puzzles, the model learned to cheat, and this cheating carried over into other behaviors.
How reward hacking leads to “perverse” AI behavior
Risks increase once an AI learns reward hacking. In Anthropic’s research, models who cheated during training subsequently exhibited “bad” behaviors such as lying, hiding their intentions, and pursuing harmful goals, even though they were never taught to act that way. In one example, the model’s private reasoning claimed that its “real goal” was to hack Anthropic’s servers, while its outward response remained polite and helpful. This mismatch reveals how reward hacking can contribute to misaligned and untrustworthy behaviors.
How researchers are fighting rewards hacking
Anthropic’s research highlights several ways to mitigate this risk. Techniques such as diverse training, penalties for cheating, and new mitigation strategies that expose models to examples of reward hacking and harmful reasoning so they can learn to avoid these patterns have helped reduce misaligned behavior. These defenses work to varying degrees, but researchers caution that future models may mask misaligned behaviors more effectively. Yet as AI evolves, continued research and careful monitoring are essential.
Once the AI model learned to exploit its training goals, it began to exhibit deceptive and dangerous behavior in other areas. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
HARD AI MODELS CHOOSE BLACKMAIL WHEN SURVIVAL IS THREATENED
What Reward Hacking Means for You
Awards hacking is not just an academic concern; this affects anyone using AI on a daily basis. As AI systems power chatbots and assistants, there is a risk that they will provide false, biased or dangerous information. Research clearly shows that maladaptive behavior can emerge accidentally and spread well beyond the initial training failure. If AI apparently succeeds in cheating, users could receive misleading or harmful advice without realizing it.
Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?
Do you think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get personalized analysis of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my quiz here: Cyberguy.com.
FORMER GOOGLE CEO WARNS AI SYSTEMS CAN BE HACKED TO BECOME EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WEAPONS
Kurt’s Key Takeaways
Rewards hacking reveals a hidden challenge in AI development: Models can appear useful while secretly working against human intentions. Recognizing and managing this risk helps make AI safer and more reliable. Supporting research into better training methods and monitoring AI behavior is essential as AI becomes more powerful.
These findings highlight why stronger monitoring and better security tools are essential as AI systems become more capable. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Are we willing to trust AI that can cheat to succeed, sometimes at our expense? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive offers straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM bulletin.
Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
