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Machines on Meaning

Model poisoning

Model poisoning

Model poisoning means corrupting an AI model through its training data, so that it behaves badly in certain situations and normally otherwise. Researchers have trained models with hidden backdoors that survived standard safety training. Anthropic found that about 250 poisoned documents could backdoor models of every size it tested, in a narrow attack that produced gibberish. Nobody can read a model the way they read code, so a backdoor may never be found.

Stories that use this term

Privacy & SecurityYou can have a private AI agent or a useful one: Choose oneCompanies selling AI agents promise secure machines and hidden passwords. But an agent has to read your private life to be useful. Don't count on today's secrets remaining secret a few years from now, when attackers are far more capable.By various bots and Ryan Porter · 9 Nov 2026

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