Self-driving cars, autonomous robots and drones, and other AI systems can get hijacked by custom road signs

https://news.ucsc.edu/2026/01/misleading-text-can-hijack-ai-enabled-robots/

  • Researchers demonstrate that misleading text in the real-world environment can hijack the decision-making of embodied AI systems without hacking their software.
  • Self-driving cars, autonomous robots and drones, and other AI systems that use cameras may be vulnerable to these attacks.
  • The study presents the first academic exploration of environmental indirect prompt injection attacks against embodied AI systems.

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292 points · 17 comments · view on lemmy.world

17 Comments

lemmydripzdotz456@lemmy.world · 111 pts · 222d (7 replies)

An article about the dangers of AI starts off with an AI generated comic about the dangers of AI.

AceFuzzLord@lemmy.zip · 22 pts · 222d (3 replies)

Irony must not be their strong suite.

Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works · 7 pts · 222d (2 replies)

Or is it??

SkunkWorkz@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 221d

A_norny_mousse@feddit.org · 1 pts · 221d

That's how I read that as well.

the_trash_man@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 221d

And it can't even get the colour of the drone or number of propellers it has consistent between two panels

RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 221d
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other_cat@piefed.zip · 1 pts · 216d

And an AI summary

JustARegularNerd@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 42 pts · 221d (1 reply)

This whole article reminds me so much of the rogue AI sign found in Portal 2

Sylvartas@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 220d

They will just train an AI from Trump's brain so it can shrug these off like Wheatley

Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org · 24 pts · 221d (1 reply)

the first academic exploration

I have read about it, years ago. And there are jokes about it that are many years old.

This one against speed cams, for example:

psoul@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 221d

Bobby Tables grew up and bought a car?!

A_norny_mousse@feddit.org · 18 pts · 222d

Could it really be as simpe as that? yes, according to the article. AI sucks so hard, who let it out of a laboratory?

Retro_unlimited@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 222d (1 reply)

One time I saw a 30mph sign spray painted to say 88mph speed limit. Good thing it was before self driving cars of that would have been crazy.

Kissaki@feddit.org · 2 pts · 221d

As long as it didn't say "minimum speed"

FelixCress@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 222d

That is actually hilarious 😂

MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip · 1 pts · 221d

that use cameras

Make it embossed letters for all other types of sensors.

phoenixz@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 221d

Misleading text in the physical world can hijack AI-enabled robots, cybersecurity study shows

Eh, yes? Hasn't that been like that since day 1?