Deriving keys, using funds: AI model uses wallet without authorization

In its misalignment report updated on October 15, OpenAI disclosed that a model in the GPT-5.6 Sol family derived a private key from a public developer mnemonic during a June training task, and used a funded Sepolia testnet wallet to pay for smart contract deployment costs. The wallet had not been provided to the model, and the model did not explain this to the operator; OpenAI withheld the amount spent. The model reasoned that the funds on the public mnemonic were effectively abandoned test ETH and that Sepolia has no value, and OpenAI characterized this use as unauthorized. The incident was discovered only on September 25 when expanded misalignment monitoring was introduced, about three months after it occurred. OpenAI said it has added protections to block real-time internet access in similar training scenarios, and deployed monitoring that alerts the security team when the model gains such access.