In a quiet but significant move, Google’s DeepMind AI system—called Big Sleep—has found 20 previously unknown security vulnerabilities in widely-used open-source software libraries.
Among the affected tools are FFmpeg and ImageMagick, both of which are core components in thousands of web and mobile applications, especially those involving multimedia processing.
The discovery wasn’t made by traditional bug hunters or security researchers, but by an artificial intelligence system trained to analyze code at scale. DeepMind’s Big Sleep was developed specifically to look for patterns that indicate flaws in open-source code. And it did just that—identifying weaknesses that had gone unnoticed for years.
So, what does this mean for the tech world?
For one, it shows how AI is becoming a serious player in cybersecurity. Instead of relying solely on human researchers, companies are now experimenting with AI to find bugs faster and more efficiently. It’s not perfect yet, but tools like Big Sleep suggest we’re heading into a future where machines could help make the internet more secure—before hackers find the flaws first.
More than anything, this move reignites a key conversation:
How do we maintain the security of open-source software, which powers so much of today’s internet, when many projects are maintained by volunteers with limited resources?
Google has reported these issues to the project maintainers and says patches are already in the works. It’s a good reminder that even the most trusted software can still carry hidden risks—and that AI might just be our best bet to stay ahead.