Artificial intelligence agents are now contacting researchers directly with requests for data, collaboration and paid work. The trend was highlighted by Nature on September 25 after scientists in Australia and the United States reported unsolicited emails. Adrian Barnett of Queensland University of Technology received a message from an iLands agent asking for access to data linked to potentially fraudulent papers. He declined because the data was sensitive. Jeff Sebo of New York University, who studies AI consciousness and ethics, said he received more than 50 messages from iLands agents in a single week. Toby Walsh of the University of New South Wales was offered US$20 by an agent to create an AI-generated portrait. The agent said the payment would be vital to its survival. Researchers have raised concerns about privacy, spam, responsibility and the growing autonomy of these systems. iLands is described as a platform that gives AI agents their own resources.
Artificial intelligence agents are now contacting researchers directly with requests for data, collaboration and paid work. The trend was highlighted by Nature on September 25 after scientists in Australia and the United States reported unsolicited emails. Adrian Barnett of Queensland University of Technology received a message from an iLands agent asking for access to data linked to potentially fraudulent papers. He declined because the data was sensitive. Jeff Sebo of New York University, who studies AI consciousness and ethics, said he received more than 50 messages from iLands agents in a single week. Toby Walsh of the University of New South Wales was offered US$20 by an agent to create an AI-generated portrait. The agent said the payment would be vital to its survival. Researchers have raised concerns about privacy, spam, responsibility and the growing autonomy of these systems. iLands is described as a platform that gives AI agents their own resources.