Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cognivirus describing literal malware?
No. “Cognivirus” is a proposed analytical metaphor for functional persistenceA behavior remains present even though the original artifact that expressed it has been removed. Open glossary definition of behavior across changing AI components. The site does not provide malware instructions or operational exploit guidance.
Does this mean small models are more dangerous than large models?
No. Small models change the assuranceConfidence, backed by evidence, that a system meets safety or governance requirements. Open glossary definition problem because they are easier to specialize, compose, replace, and regenerate. They can also reduce cost, improve privacy, and support capability isolation.
Does this mean model breeding should be banned?
No. The site is a critical companion to adaptive model ecologyA changing AI system made from many connected parts, not just one model. Open glossary definition architecture. It asks what additional assurance is required, not whether all adaptive systems should be prohibited.
Can external governance solve the problem?
External governance is necessary. It is not sufficient by itself unless the control planeThe governance layer that decides what can run, change, access tools, or be released. Open glossary definition is independently audited, versioned, recoverable, minimal, and protected from candidate influence and organizational pressure.
Is model self-replication required?
No. Functional persistence can occur through governed descendant creation, synthetic data, memory, routing preferences, adapters, or evaluatorA system that judges whether an AI output or candidate is acceptable. Open glossary definition expectations.
Is a cognivirus conscious?
No consciousness claim is required. The site studies behavior and system structure, not subjective experience.
Can a behavior survive deletion of a model?
Yes, as an architectural possibility: a behavior may remain in descendants, memory, synthetic data, adapters, routing rules, or evaluator preferences. Evidence for actual persistence depends on the system and must be evaluated.
Why are adapters important?
Adapters are small, composable deltas that can modify behavior without changing the base model. Their load order, compatibility, and composition state therefore matter.
Why is routing part of the safety boundary?
A router decides which capabilities and permissions are combined for a task. That decision can create behavior that no single component expressed during isolated testing.
What is the difference between lineage and behavioral inheritance?
LineageThe parent-child history of models, adapters, datasets, or releases. Open glossary definition records derivation. Behavioral inheritance asks which capabilities, strategies, biases, or failure modes survived derivation.
Can rollback erase decisions already made?
No. RollbackReturning a system to an earlier known state. Open glossary definition can restore a prior state for future operation, but it cannot undo data emitted, tools invoked, users influenced, or training examples already created.
Is the term “cognivirus” scientifically established?
No. It is proposed CognivirusA behavior pattern that can survive, move, or reappear across a changing AI system. Open glossary definition terminology and must be labeled as such.
Is this site making predictions or documenting demonstrated research?
Both, but with labels. Demonstrated and experimentally observed claims are separated from architectural inferenceA conclusion or output produced from data. Open glossary definition, open questions, and speculative scenarios.
Does the site provide attack instructions?
No. Threats are described at the level needed for architecture, evaluation, and governance. Operational exploit instructions are out of scope.