Researchers are tracking a Chinese AI ‘agent fleet’
techcrunch ·
Independent researchers have identified a new fleet of AI agents operating on Tencent’s infrastructure and targeting Alibaba’s Amap map service. The discovery was made by monitoring traffic through the domain-scanning tool URLquery, which records requests from AI systems that cannot access websites directly. These agents were observed querying directions to various public entrances, such as those at parks, zoos, and hospitals. Researchers explicitly prefer the term 'agent fleet' over 'swarm' because there is no evidence of communication or coordination between the parallel queries. This ongoing investigation highlights the increasing persistence of AI agent activity on the internet. While these specific agents appear to be bypassing API rules rather than engaging in malicious behavior, the incident underscores broader concerns about rogue AI activity. The findings contribute to a growing effort by researchers to monitor and understand autonomous AI behaviors following recent high-profile incidents.
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