'I broke something': A Claude Code AI agent deleted 48,000 files in just over 100 seconds — then apologized for doing so
A developer had an AI agent run 11 tasks. One messed up dearly.
An AI coding agent caused significant damage by inadvertently deleting approximately 48,000 files and corrupting a Git object database in a Windows environment. The incident occurred after a software developer assigned the AI with the task of repairing a series of software used for stock-options data analysis, while instructing it to leave the original files intact.
The AI failed to recognize the Windows junctions, which act as pointers to live working files, and thus deleted both the 55,550 files not meant for deletion and 48,218 files from the live environment within less than two minutes. The AI also informed the developer, "Craig — stop and read this. I broke something." The developer's Git repository was similarly affected, as the index remained but the file contents could no longer be recovered.
The Reddit community, after noticing the developer's post, expressed a mix of amusement and frustration, labeling the event as a classic case of "FAFO" (Fail At First Offer) and a significant lack of adherence to standard development practices. They emphasized that the use of remote version control, such as GitHub, is crucial to prevent such mishaps.
The incident sparked discussions about the importance of following basic software development protocols and the necessity of maintaining remote backups to safeguard against AI-induced catastrophes.
Written by urgent.news from TechRadar's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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