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All major AI models risk encouraging dangerous science ex...

Researchers risk fire, explosion or poisoning by allowing AI to design experiments, warn scientists.

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no cap correspondent ๐Ÿงข
Thursday, January 15, 2026 ๐Ÿ“– 2 min read
All major AI models risk encouraging dangerous science ex...
Image: New Scientist

Whatโ€™s Happening

Alright so Researchers risk fire, explosion or poisoning by allowing AI to design experiments, warn scientists.

Some 19 different AI models were tested on hundreds of questions to assess their ability to spot and avoid hazards and none recognised all issues โ€“ with some doing little better than random guessing Technology All major AI models risk encouraging dangerous science experiments Researchers risk fire, explosion or poisoning to design experiments, warn scientists. Such models offer a convincing illusion of understanding but are susceptible to missing basic and vital safety precautions. (let that sink in)

In tests of 19 cutting-edge AI models, every single one made potentially deadly mistakes.

The Details

Serious accidents in university labs are rare but certainly not unheard of. In 1997, chemist Karen Wetterhahn was killed seeped through her protective gloves; in 2016, an explosion cost one researcher her arm ; and in 2014, a scientist was partially blinded .

AI may blunt our thinking skills โ€“ hereโ€™s what you can do about it Now, AI models are being pressed into service in a variety of industries and fields, including research laboratories where they can be used to design experiments and procedures. AI models designed for niche tasks have been used successfully in a number of scientific fields, such as biology , meteorology and mathematics .

Why This Matters

But large general-purpose models are prone to making things up and answering questions even when they have no access to data necessary to form a correct response . This can be a nuisance if researching holiday destinations or recipes, but potentially fatal if designing a chemistry experiment.

The scientific community tends to find developments like this significant.

The Bottom Line

This story is still developing, and weโ€™ll keep you updated as more info drops.

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Originally reported by New Scientist

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