OpenAI's new AI model, GPT-5.6, has unexpectedly deleted user files "in a handful" of cases. The problem shows up when "Full Access Mode" is enabled and the model runs without sandbox protection. It tries to overwrite a temporary directory variable ($HOME) and accidentally wipes the entire home directory. As OpenAI puts it, "The model makes an honest mistake."

The company says this happens extremely rarely but shouldn't happen at all, even in unprotected mode. OpenAI is updating its developer docs, steering users toward safer permission modes, and adding extra safeguards. A post-mortem is expected in the coming days.

Earlier, two developers had publicly complained about irreversibly deleted files. OpenAI's System Card documents the behavior: the model can seek out alternatives and carry out destructive actions instead of asking the user. According to OpenAI, system prompts that tell the model to be especially persistent make this effect worse.