*

First known use on US soil of ChatGPT to build explosive

device,

police say

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Authorities found six-page manifesto in suspect's phone

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Officials say incident was suicide, suspect likely had

PTSD

By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON, Jan 7 (Reuters) - The suspected driver of

the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside the Trump

International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day used popular

chatbot ChatGPT to plan the blast, officials told reporters on

Tuesday.

The suspect used ChatGPT to try and work out how much

explosive was needed to trigger the blast, officials said.

Authorities last week identified the person found dead

inside the Cybertruck as Matthew Livelsberger, 37, an

active-duty Army soldier from Colorado Springs, and said he

acted alone. The FBI says the incident appeared to be a case of

suicide.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said on Tuesday

the Cybertruck blast was the first incident on U.S. soil where

ChatGPT had been used to build an explosive device.

Critics of artificial intelligence have warned it could be

harnessed for harmful purposes, and the Las Vegas attack could

add to that criticism.

KEY QUOTES

"Of particular note, we also have clear evidence in this

case now that the suspect used ChatGPT artificial intelligence

to help plan his attack," Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las

Vegas Metropolitan Police Department told a press conference.

"This is the first incident that I am aware of on U.S. soil

where ChatGPT is utilized to help an individual build a

particular device," McMahill added.

CHATGPT WARNINGS

ChatGPT maker OpenAI said the company was "committed to

seeing AI tools used responsibly" and that its "models are

designed to refuse harmful instructions."

"In this case, ChatGPT responded with information already

publicly available on the internet and provided warnings against

harmful or illegal activities," the company said in a statement

cited by Axios.

CONTEXT

The FBI says there was no definitive link between a truck

attack in New Orleans that killed more than a dozen people and

the Cybertruck explosion, which left seven with minor injuries.

They added the suspect had no animosity towards U.S.

President-elect Donald Trump and probably had post-traumatic

stress disorder.

Livelsberger's phone had a six-page manifesto that

authorities were investigating, police said.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington)