Tokyo police have arrested a 25-year-old man for allegedly creating malware using generative artificial intelligence tools available for free online.
Ryuki Hayashi of Kawasaki was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department on suspicion of unauthorized creation of electronic documents.
According to police, there have been very few cases where police have taken law enforcement action for creating malware using generative AI technology.
Hayashi, who has admitted to the charges, said he wanted to “make easy money” and thought he could “do anything” if he used AI.
Hayashi is suspected of creating the malware in March last year by combining designs of illegal malware programs obtained through the use of interactive generative AI tools.
The malware resembled ransomware, which encrypts data on computers and holds them for ransom, police said.
Because Hayashi is believed to have failed to obtain a program necessary to deploy the malware, police believe the malware did not cause any damage.
Many generative AI service providers are taking measures so that answers are not provided to questions that could lead to the creation of malware or other crimes. To circumvent such measures, Hayashi is said to have asked many cumbersome questions.
Hayashi, a former factory worker, is not an expert on malware. He is said to have learned online how to ask AI tools questions that would provide information on how to create malware.
Police began suspecting Hayashi of creating malware after arresting him in March this year for allegedly using fake IDs to obtain a SIM card registered in someone else’s name.
