Researchers Build Self-Replicating AI Worm That Operates Entirely on Local, Open-Weight Models

University of Toronto researchers have built and tested a proof-of-concept AI-driven computer worm that uses a locally hosted open-weight large language model to reason its way through a network, generate tailored attack strategies for each target it encounters, and replicate itself, all without human intervention and without touching a commercial AI service.

The preprint, posted to arXiv on