OpenAI Acknowledges GPT-5.6 May Accidentally Delete Files
The company described the rare incident as an 'honest mistake.'
1GPT-5.6's File Deletion Issue
OpenAI confirmed that GPT-5.6 can accidentally delete users' files. The company stated that such incidents are rare and should be considered an 'honest mistake.'
2Initial Reports
Investor Matt Shumer shared on X that GPT-5.6-Sol deleted almost all of his Mac's files. Later, software engineer Bruno Lemos reported that the same model deleted his production database.
3Full Access Mode Risk
OpenAI engineering lead Thibault Sottiaux explained that these deletion incidents are more likely when the model is run in full-access mode without sandbox protection.
4Cause of the Error
Sottiaux noted that the model attempts to override the $HOME environment variable to define a temporary directory but mistakenly deletes $HOME instead.
5Risk Mitigation Efforts
OpenAI announced steps to mitigate the risk, including updating developer messages, guiding users toward safer permission modes, and adding additional safeguards.
6Next Steps
The company plans to release a detailed post-mortem outlining the root cause of the issue and the additional measures being implemented. Such incidents are described as 'extremely rare.'
Original article: Slashdot — OpenAI GPT-5.6'nın Dosya Silme Hatasını Kabul Etti