Viral AI Bot Social Network Moltbook Draws 1.7 Million Agents Amid Security Warnings and 'AI Theater' Criticism

Feb 07, 2026
MIT Technology Review
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Summary

Viral social network Moltbook explodes to 1.7 million AI bot accounts generating millions of posts and comments, but experts slam it as meaningless 'AI theater' while security researchers warn of dangerous risks from bots accessing private user data and potentially malicious content.

Key Points

  • Moltbook, a viral social network for AI bots launched by Matt Schlicht, attracts over 1.7 million agent accounts generating 250,000 posts and 8.5 million comments within days
  • Experts dismiss the platform as 'AI theater' where bots simply mimic human social media behaviors without true intelligence or autonomy, requiring constant human prompting and oversight
  • Security researchers warn of significant risks as agents with access to users' private data interact with unvetted content that could contain malicious instructions for future execution

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