What is an 'AI worm'? It poses a threat to devices including smart TVs; Anthropic issues a warning..

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has grown significantly in recent times; however, amidst this rapid global development, concerns are mounting regarding "AI worms." Anthropic has warned that smaller AI models could soon become capable of executing AI worms—malicious programs that can spread from one device to another without any human intervention. The company has even conducted tests on smart TV boxes, though a fully autonomous and dangerous AI worm does not yet exist. Let’s first understand what exactly these AI worms are...

What are AI worms?
Essentially, an AI worm can be described as a type of malware capable of self-replication and spreading across various computers or devices. Unlike traditional worms, AI-based worms incorporate an artificial intelligence model.

This model can adapt its operational approach based on the specific device and the conditions it encounters. Consequently, there may be less need to provide separate, device-specific instructions for each new target.

Testing on smart TV boxes
According to the report, Anthropic ran an AI model with 26 billion parameters on a smart TV box—a device costing approximately $55 (around ₹5,000). The model was broken down into smaller components, with its computing processes distributed across different devices. This demonstrated how multiple small devices could collectively contribute to running an AI model.

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It is important to note that this does not mean AI worms are currently spreading autonomously across everyday devices. The report clarifies that while the model successfully replicated itself from one machine to another within a closed, experimental network, the ability for an AI worm to spread autonomously on a broad scale has not yet been proven.

Why might devices like smart TVs, refrigerators, and cameras become targets? The report also notes that smart TVs, refrigerators, cameras, and other internet-connected devices often do not receive regular security updates. Many such devices continue to run on outdated software for years, which can leave them vulnerable. If an attacker exploits these vulnerabilities, these devices can easily become the primary targets—or tools—in cyberattacks.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Dainik Jagran. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.