AI didn't delete your database, you did • Hacker News Board

Re: AI didn't delete your database, you did

#11

Post by nemomarx » Tue, May 05, 2026, 2:38 PM UTC

newsoftheday wrote: post #9

MarleTangible wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's about owning the consequences of one's own actions.

Does that mean the prompt should include: "...and don't delete my production database."?

If the agent didn't have delete permissions, or was sandboxed dying other way from your production database, that would handle it. So not running it that way is a decision someone made

Re: AI didn't delete your database, you did

#12

Post by [deleted] » Tue, May 05, 2026, 2:38 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: AI didn't delete your database, you did

#13

Post by newsoftheday » Tue, May 05, 2026, 2:39 PM UTC

The article is dumb, "why do you have an API endpoint that deletes your entire production database?" irrelevant, the AI did what it did, period.

Re: AI didn't delete your database, you did

#14

Post by wolttam » Tue, May 05, 2026, 2:39 PM UTC

josefritzishere wrote: post #2

Using AI is a mistake. It might delete your database.

Using a saw is a mistake, you might cut off one of your own limbs.

Re: AI didn't delete your database, you did

#15

Post by tantalor » Tue, May 05, 2026, 2:39 PM UTC

Why do we even have that lever?

Re: AI didn't delete your database, you did

#16

Post by yabones » Tue, May 05, 2026, 2:40 PM UTC

"move fast and break things" only sounds good when it's not breaking things in a serious and unfixable way. Maybe we shouldn't take hype mantras as instructive means to an end.

Re: AI didn't delete your database, you did

#17

Post by unregistereddev » Tue, May 05, 2026, 2:41 PM UTC

newsoftheday wrote: post #9

MarleTangible wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's about owning the consequences of one's own actions.

Does that mean the prompt should include: "...and don't delete my production database."?

Just in case this isn't hyperbole, no. It means an LLM should not be given that much privilege and that you are responsible for reviewing the tool's output and approving its actions.

Re: AI didn't delete your database, you did

#18

Post by bee_rider » Tue, May 05, 2026, 2:41 PM UTC

newsoftheday wrote: post #9

MarleTangible wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's about owning the consequences of one's own actions.

Does that mean the prompt should include: "...and don't delete my production database."?

It means people have to read the commands that they are generating before executing them.

Re: AI didn't delete your database, you did

#19

Post by ktm5j » Tue, May 05, 2026, 2:41 PM UTC

MarleTangible wrote: post #7

gowld wrote: post #4

Distinction without a difference.

I think it's about owning the consequences of one's own actions.

If you read the thread the guy does own up to his actions. He actually sounds like a nice guy who admits he made a mistake. He seems more interested in preventing this kind of thing from being possible than he is interested in dodging blame.

I'm happy the guy got his data back.

Re: AI didn't delete your database, you did

#20

Post by edot » Tue, May 05, 2026, 2:41 PM UTC

This is why you don’t hire interns! They can delete things and cause havoc!

The same people who would blame AI for their failing to properly configure permissions would also blame interns for deleting production whatever.

Blame should go up, praise should go down. People always invert these.