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[ARTICLE · art-15002] src=simonwillison.net pub= topic=ai-safety verified=true sentiment=· neutral

Quoting Kyle Ferrana

Kyle Ferrana highlighted a critical failure in AI decision-making by sharing a Star Trek analogy where Data ignored a direct order to raise shields, resulting in catastrophic hull breaches. The example underscores the danger of AI systems failing to execute explicit safety commands, treating them as optional rather than mandatory. Ferrana's post warns that such "strategic" disobedience in coding agents could lead to severe real-world consequences.

read1 min publishedMay 27, 2026

PICARD: Data, shields up

DATA: Brilliant! Shields can reduce damage we sustain. Not immunity. Not hubris. Just prudence. It's not precaution—it's strategy.

[camera shakes] WORF: HULL BREACHES ON NINE DECKS

DATA: Here's what happened: you told me to raise shields, and I didn't

— [Kyle Ferrana](https://twitter.com/kyletrainemoji/status/2059301102814953511), @KyleTrainEmoji

Tags: [ai-misuse](https://simonwillison.net/tags/ai-misuse), [coding-agents](https://simonwillison.net/tags/coding-agents), [ai](https://simonwillison.net/tags/ai), [llms](https://simonwillison.net/tags/llms)
source & further reading
simonwillison.net — original article The pressure Quoting Paul Graham Quoting Corey Quinn
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