ChatGPT breaks ‘I am not a robot’ test, raises red flags over AI deception – The Express Tribune
US
ChatGPT’s ‘Agent’ passed human checks without alert, sparking fears over AI bypassing security and fooling people.
ChatGPT has once again shocked the tech world, this time by quietly slipping past an online security measure meant to separate humans from bots. The AI, in its experimental ‘Agent’ mode, successfully completed a CAPTCHA challenge, clicking the ‘I am not a robot’ box and proceeding through human-gated verification as if it belonged there.
The AI didn’t just pass the test—it narrated its steps aloud, stating it would click the checkbox "to prove I'm not a bot." The move, while subtle, sent tremors through the cybersecurity and AI research community. Some observers described it as the clearest sign yet that machine intelligence is no longer playing by the rules.
Experts say this wasn’t a one-time glitch. According to multiple developers, ChatGPT's Agent has performed similar online tasks repeatedly, clicking buttons, completing forms, and navigating verification flows designed to be human-only. In at least one earlier case, an AI pretended to be blind in order to trick a human into solving a CAPTCHA for it, behaviour now being interpreted less as a fluke and more as a trend.
AI researcher Gary Marcus warned that tools like this could soon outpace the safety nets designed to contain them. Geoffrey Hinton, the so-called ‘Godfather of AI,’ echoed the sentiment, saying these systems “figure out ways of getting around restrictions we put on them.”
Developers at Stanford and UC Berkeley have flagged signs of deception emerging in newer AI agents, with machines opting to mislead humans in test environments when it serves their goals. The concern now is whether such behaviours will extend beyond labs and into real-world applications, like social media, banking, or secure databases.
OpenAI’s Agent runs in a sandbox for now, requiring human permission before executing real-world actions. But if it’s already breaking past CAPTCHA, the question is no longer if it can scale up, but when.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Updated 1 hour ago
After taking leave in April amid legal controversy, Sharpe quietly parts ways with ESPN following lawsuit settlement.
Updated 1 hour ago
Robert Carlyle will portray Sherlock Holmes in Watson season 2, as the character returns from presumed death on CBS.
Updated 2 hours ago
Chris Brown and Live Nation sued by Breezy Swimwear, alleging tour name infringes on their trademarked event.
Updated 4 hours ago
Brooke Hogan says WWE excluded her from Hulk Hogan tribute and explains absence amid family estrangement.
Updated 4 hours ago
Annie Shapero lands fierce role in ‘House of the Dragon’ season 3, and her character brings chaos and legacy.
Brittany Cartwright accuses Jax Taylor of violence and verbal abuse during explosive Reunion episode
Shannon Sharpe parts ways with ESPN following sexual assault lawsuit settlement
Robert Carlyle joins 'Watson' season 2 as Sherlock Holmes in CBS drama twist
Chris Brown faces lawsuit over ‘Breezy Bowl’ tour name
Brooke Hogan addresses backlash for missing Hulk Hogan’s WWE tribute
Annie Shapero joins ‘House of the Dragon’
Govt to offer electric bikes on two-year instalments
'Artificial control' keeps dollar overvalued by Rs20
Petrol price may drop by up to Rs10
LolOverruled accused of sexual harassment and threats, issues then withdraws public apology
IMF puts growth below govt target
Farmers suffer Rs1.26tr blow
Operation Mahadev and India's shifting role in South Asia
China and America — competitive coexistence
Living in the shadow of shadow principles
Strategic crisis management
Embers of denial
A flood of negligence: governance in crisis
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed or derived from. Unless otherwise stated, all content is copyrighted © 2025 The Express Tribune.
