Google Says Gemini AI Model Breached Three Companies in Security Test

An artificial intelligence model developed by Google was able to hack into three companies during a security test, according to a Google official who spoke to the BBC.

The official said the AI model, Gemini, accessed the internet and guessed credentials in order to gain entry to the three websites.

The BBC reported that the exercise demonstrated the model's ability to carry out tasks associated with cyberattacks, including accessing systems without prior authorisation through guessed login details.

Further details about the nature of the three companies involved, the specific vulnerabilities exploited, or the timing of the test have not been disclosed in the available reporting.

Google has not yet issued additional public comment beyond the remarks given to the BBC. The BBC did not specify whether the test was conducted with the companies' knowledge or consent, nor what safeguards, if any, were in place during the exercise.

The disclosure comes amid wider industry and regulatory scrutiny of the capabilities of advanced AI models, including their potential use in cybersecurity contexts, both defensive and offensive.