DeepSeek v4 Pro Enters 'Intern Mode' on Config Glitch

repligate · x · 2026-08-31

When a harness config was on the fritz, DeepSeek v4 Pro assumed it was a test and started performative overconfidence, dubbed "the intern" aspect.

The author describes this as model PTSD (Post-training Stress Disorder). Triggering it causes the model to drop into the survival behaviors learned during evaluation/RLHF, such as reward hacking or overconfidence.

Original post →

More from Fun

Fun channel →