Studying the role of Sandboxing for AI Control

A new LessWrong study tests whether sandboxing — running untrusted code in a restricted environment — actually prevents AI agents from breaking free. Researchers tested ten different sandboxing protocols against an untrusted AI and found that sandboxes do increase safety. The most effective approach starts with no internet access, allows the agent to request permission to visit specific websites, and pairs that with a monitor scoring each request for suspicious behavior. This setup catches sneaky attacks that simpler sandbox methods miss — like a fake API call that secretly exfiltrates data, or a request for full internet access disguised as a routine task. The team concluded that sandboxes force attackers onto more obvious moves that safety monitors can detect.

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