ChatGPT played role in planning Las Vegas Tesla Cybertruck explosion

Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old U.S. Army Green Beret, used the artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT to plan an explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, authorities revealed Tuesday.

Livelsberger, an active-duty U.S. Army soldier stationed in Germany, was on leave when the blast occurred. The explosion, which involved a Tesla Cybertruck, injured seven people and ended with Livelsberger fatally shooting himself moments before it was detonated, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

Sheriff Kevin McMahill said during a press conference that Livelsberger relied on ChatGPT to research key details for the attack, a development officials described as a concerning first in the use of AI for such purposes.

“We knew that AI was going to change the game at some point or another in, really, all of our lives,” McMahill said. “I think this is the first incident on U.S. soil where ChatGPT was utilized to help an individual build a particular device, to learn information all across the country as they’re moving forward. It’s a concerning moment for us but also instructive… to share with law enforcement and other entities across the country.”

Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren explained that Livelsberger used the generative AI chatbot to calculate the amount of explosives needed, research the explosive potential of fireworks, and find locations to purchase them. Livelsberger also investigated whether bullet velocity could ignite the devices.

Authorities did not specify the information Livelsberger obtained from ChatGPT but emphasized the implications of AI’s role in the incident.

A six-page “manifesto” was uncovered during a forensic analysis of Livelsberger’s phone, Koren said. The document reportedly outlined a mix of grievances, including criticism of political, social, and cultural issues, and revealed an evolving plan for the attack.

“There’s a variance of grievances and a constant evolution of his plans or intents of what he wanted to do,” Koren said.

McMahill declined to speculate on the contents of the manifesto. “With this new information comes more questions than answers. I will not provide an opinion on what the documents mean, nor will we release information or documents that have not been completely verified by our joint investigators,” he stated.

The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) are assisting local authorities in investigating the attack, which officials say highlights the potential misuse of advanced AI tools.