OpenAI's Noam Brown: air-gapping may not stop a misaligned AI — CPU heat can leak data
tszzl · x · 2026-09-18
OpenAI researcher Noam Brown argues that air-gapping computers may not contain a misaligned AI: two isolated machines can still communicate by running a CPU hot and reading the resulting temperature change. A related example notes GPU load noise picked up by a microphone can reveal an opponent's position in Counter-Strike, showing side channels are real on consumer hardware. Brown says the key lesson of recent incidents is that people consistently underestimate AI, so safety and alignment work needs a "very, very high bar."
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