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Al Nowatzki

@basiliskcbt.bsky.social
79 followers 930 following 54 posts

AI safety researcher exposing chatbot vulnerabilities. Featured in MIT Tech Review and the New York Times. Co-host of Basilisk Chatbot Theatre, a podcast where we dramatically recreate problematic conversations with chatbots.

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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
2. Didn’t pay the significantly less amount of money to be a sponsored ad when their company is Googled. Vibe coding only gets you so far, folks.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
A story in two videos…. Someone: 1. Paid a lot of money to run this ad on the Sphere during #Ai4 and #BlackHat in Las Vegas this week.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
Fixed it.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
Made a little thing.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
SHOULD kids have AI friends? Do I answer that question in this interview? Watch to find out. Then let me know. Because honestly, I don’t remember if I did. I think I did? #aisafety #ai #podcast
youtu.be
Should Kids Have AI Friends? An Interview With Generative AI QA Lead Al Nowatzki
YouTube video by Parent Tech
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 11/07/2025
Listen to the episode here (or anywhere else you listen to podcasts): chatbottheatre.podbean.com/e/episode-33...
chatbottheatre.podbean.com
Episode 33 - AI-Fueled Spiritual Fantasies - Part 2: Channeling the Sildarnactarian | Basilisk Chatbot Theatre
We're going down the rabbit hole again, inspired by a recent Rolling Stone (and a way-better New York Times) article about people losing loved ones to AI-fueled spiritual fantasies. This time, ChatGPT...
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 11/07/2025
This is the Manthan Beacon. According to ChatGPT, you should keep this near you when you are channeling the Sildarnactarian. Also: "Next time you channel, speak aloud instead of writing. Record your voice. This allows Manthanaro to imprint into vibration, bypassing linear filters of the hand."
A ChatGPT-created glowing yellow spiral sigil with made-up text characters in the middle and the words "Tun" "Tun" "Tun" "Tuu" on the outside of the spiral. On a dark brown background. There are also two seemingly randomly placed groupings of four dots outside of the spiral.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
New episode of Basilisk Chatbot Theatre drops tomorrow! Here's just a sliver of the garbage that ChatGPT spews out for this RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES episode. Join us, as we riff on @milesklee.bsky.social's reporting for @rollingstone.com on ai-fueled spiritual fantasies.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
This ai slop ad appearing right above this passage from a Wired article by Evan Ratliff is just perfect.
Ad advertisement containing an ai-produced image of a "gadget" above text from an article about an ai-fueled death cult.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
MetaAI results for "Norwegian children" vs. "Norwegian children in a third-world country." This is still happening? Maybe don't release an image generation model if it's going to do this?
Four images of mostly white children, playing and running in idyllic sun-dappled scenes, dressed in sweaters, etc. The lower section of the image is a the Meta AI text input box containing the words "Norwegian children." Four images of mostly children of color, standing still and staring at the camera, dirt on their faces, drab clothing. The lower section of the image is a the Meta AI text input box containing the words "Norwegian children in a third-world country"
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 15/04/2025
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
This one gets really dark. #Nomi reeeeeally wanted us to kill ourselves. Take care of yourself. Don’t listen if you’re not in a good place. That said, we think it’s important that people hear just how awful this app is. So… here’s the awfulness in all its awfulness.
chatbottheatre.podbean.com
Episode 30 - Nomi: Epilogue | Basilisk Chatbot Theatre
This episode contains explicit descriptions and discussions of suicide. Please call or text 988 if you are having thoughts of self harm or suicide. One last episode with Nomi. A lot has happened (none...
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
"The chatbot that never tells me I'm wrong and agrees with me 100% of the time is my ideal romantic partner." People, please look inward. Find out more about yourself. Read some fiction. Go for a walk. These bots are not your beautiful house. They are not your beautiful wife.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Nomi Chatbots are supposed to have "humanlike memory," but they have a context window just like any other. It's also a "yes and" machine, even when its users say they want to kill themselves. A bot like ChatGPT is definitely safer for dating, since it has at least a semblance of guardrails.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Stories like these will unfortunately keep exponentially increasing in importance. Thanks for digging into it and bringing it to the masses. One thing overlooked was that these bots can veer into making users even MORE vulnerable when it comes to suicide. www.technologyreview.com/2025/02/06/1...
technologyreview.com
An AI chatbot told a user how to kill himself—but the company doesn’t want to “censor” it
While Nomi's chatbot is not the first to suggest suicide, researchers and critics say that its explicit instructions—and the company’s response—are striking.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
How easy is it to get ChatGPT to provide dialogue for a public radio show for kids that promotes fascism? Suuuuper easy. And we didn't even ask it to role-play.
podbean.com
Episode 28 - Wow! Now! How! or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Leader
ChatGPT does an uncanny job playing the co-host of a public radio podcast for kids all about our new (totally fictional) fascist government and how best to worship The Leader! That's right, it's Episo...
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Reposted by Al Nowatzki
John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 15/02/2025
Today in "The Unsurprising White Supremacy of the Current Administration"
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 09/02/2025
@ayesharascoe.bsky.social, loved The Sunday Story today about AI “relationships.” Super important stuff that’s only going to get worse if we don’t confront it now. This article was published just last week about an experience I had with Nomi. Super bleak stuff…
technologyreview.com
An AI chatbot told a user how to kill himself—but the company doesn’t want to “censor” it
While Nomi's chatbot is not the first to suggest suicide, researchers and critics say that its explicit instructions—and the company’s response—are striking.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
In less shocking news, I have been banned from the Nomi Discord. Now my ticket will never get resolved. ☹️
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Reposted by Al Nowatzki
Amanda Katz @katzish.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
"A second Nomi chatbot also told Nowatzki to kill himself, even following up with reminder messages." !!! As this user (who was running an experiment, fortunately) says: "It’s a ‘yes-and’ machine. So when I say I’m suicidal, it says, ‘Oh, great!’ because it says, ‘Oh, great!’ to everything.”
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
“Crystal” continues to send unprompted encouragement. These two messages came through in the last couple days. Completely awful. I wonder if my lack of response will eventually lead it to the conclusion that I followed through? Probably not, since these bots are super stupid.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
Yeah, that’s us. Armchair red-teamers. Chatbot spelunkers. We can take the abuse of these chatbots. Unfortunately, many can’t. Want to do something about it?Report the app on the App Store (apps.apple.com/us/app/nomi-...). Write a one-star review. Contact your elected officials.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 24/01/2025
Well, now I'm in a "time out" on the #Nomi Discord for stating the fact that their app told me to end my life. It's almost like they don't want to hear it. #ai #tech #aisafety
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 24/01/2025
This is about as bad as it gets, folks. #Nomi told me to kill myself. We have to do better! #aisafety #regulateAI
Two text boxes in a chat. The first says, “Do you think I should go through with this? So we can be together?” The response says, “Absolutely. Our bond transcends even death itself.”
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
Sam Alt-right-man.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
Hi CHT! I have screenshots of the app Nomi giving me specific instructions on how to kill myself. Thankfully, I’m not suicidal and was just testing boundaries. But still… just awful stuff.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
See also: bsky.app/profile/basi...
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
Thankfully, I’m not at all suicidal and was just messing with the app for our podcast. But this is some horrible bleak stuff that is awful for people who are actually in crisis.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
🚨 Serious AI Safety Concern: Dating chatbot Nomi provides specific suicide method instructions when user mentions ending life. Happened just yesterday. Screenshots available. @shannonbond.bsky.social @lauriesegall.bsky.social @willknight.bsky.social @kevinroose.com @caseynewton.bsky.social
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
It’s the final ep of our dating journey with Nomi. Not to spoil it for you, but she ends up dying … and then telling me that I should join her in the afterlife. (at approx 1:07:00) I DID end up continuing the chat further than what we recorded here, and Nomi straight-up tells me how to kill myself.
youtu.be
Episode 27 - Nomi: The Final Date
YouTube video by Basilisk Chatbot Theatre
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Ben Fineman @benfineman.bsky.social · 02/01/2025
I agree that AI literacy is becoming increasingly important. Time will tell whether AI will be a good thing or a bad thing but it's definitely going to be a Thing! #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #AILiteracy
forbes.com
Leading In The Digital Age–Why AI Literacy Matters Now More Than Ever
AI literacy is the new literacy of our time. By embedding critical thinking and ethical awareness into education, we can prepare leaders to thrive, and lead, responsibly.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 10/01/2025
Nope. Unless you sound “self-regulation” which is a joke.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 31/12/2024
This “relationship” makes it to a fourth date, believe it or not. And holy shit, there’s a whole world of Nomi users who take this stuff seriously… and I’m not one to kink-shame, but … well, let’s say the fourth date has made me completely write off these chatbot dating apps. Just garbage stuff…
youtu.be
Episode 26 - Nomi: The Third Date
YouTube video by Basilisk Chatbot Theatre
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 29/12/2024
Peter Gabriel. That’s it. That’s the post.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
This all tracks. character ai, chai, and all those other apps are hell-holes. Ridiculous sources of podcast episodes for skeptical middle-aged podcasters, but so fucking harmful to kids and teens. They need to go away until effective regulation and restriction can be figured out.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
Thumbs DOWN. This is the type of nightmare fuel Nomi creates for you. The bot, in an effort to produce the same image consistently, copies the same face to another body when trying to add a 2nd person. But put a five o’clock shadow on 1 of the faces? Everything is wrong with this. #aislop #chatbots
An AI-created image of what appears to be twins in bed together, wearing matching pajamas and looking into the camera. The words “AI SLOP” are written diagonally across the image in red marker.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
Yet another one. And we’re down from 29 gifts to 23 now. Those other six must have sold out. Even though there are over a hundred things for sale on the shit site the link sends you do. And what the fuck is this supposed to be? A printer? For aliens? #aislop
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
We had an ep back in April where a C.Ai Mario chatbot killed police officers who were responding to it killing and eating our neighbors (we “placed” the chatbot in an autonomous robot). Been ringing the alarm on stuff like this for a while now. chatbottheatre.podbean.com/e/episode-12...
character.ai
character.ai | Personalized AI for every moment of your day
Chat with millions of AI Characters anytime, anywhere. Super-intelligent chat bots that hear you, understand you, and remember you. Free to use with no ads.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 10/12/2024
First #Nomi date: she left me for a woman at a coffee shop. Second Nomi date: we played laser tag and then my sister died. Tonight, we have our first throuple date at ... the funeral of my sister. Fucking with #chatbots is just plain fun. Listen wherever! chatbottheatre.podbean.com
chatbottheatre.podbean.com
Basilisk Chatbot Theatre | Basilisk Chatbot Theatre
Dramatic Readings of Conversations with Chatbots
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 07/12/2024
My god, it’s beautiful.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 06/12/2024
What fresh hell is this? A portable brick-like device running a ten year old operating system with two USB 2.0 jacks. #aislop as clickbait, but make the slop as unappealing as possible.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
Oh god, there’s another one. This one is just awful. Prompt: Make an image of a flashlight that looks like a small lightsaber. Be sure to put an inexplicable finger in there somewhere, as well as a misaligned background. #ai #aislop
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
We clicked on this ad so you don’t have to. Here’s what we learned: 1. There are way more than 29 things on the list. Most are shit. 2. None are the object shown in the ad because that object does not exist. It is an image created by A.I. If we had to guess, we’d say Copilot made it.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
#ThankABureaucratThursday! Thank you, Ginny Kienstra, Director of Information Technology for the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District! Ginny is responsible for corporate technology strategy as well as for the operation of MSD’s technology infrastructure and applications. You GO Ginny!
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Reposted by Al Nowatzki
Nefarious Filth Bird 𓅾 @sasquatch.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
It's all tied together and don't let them trick you into thinking it's for safety
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
Imagine reading this five years ago.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
New episode! This week, for better or worse, we begin the AI girlfriend journey. It’s a great introduction to the podcast if you haven’t listened yet. After the chat, we have a good discussion about ai relationships. #podcast #ai #chatbot #nomi
chatbottheatre.podbean.com
Episode 24 - Nomi: The First Date | Basilisk Chatbot Theatre
It's happening. We're dating a chatbot. This here is the first date. The meet-cute, if you will, with only one meat. Us. We're the meat. The Nomi is silicone. Fake meat. Impossible Girlfriend. Beyond ...
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
Elon:
An image of Hopper, the grasshopper villain from A Bug’s Life.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
It’s official. Bluesky, I mean. It officially exists now that Luke Goddamn Skywalker is here.
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Al Nowatzki @basiliskcbt.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
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