Based on OpenAI's recounting of events, this _could_ happen today. If the agent was able to exploit their internal network and steal credentials, it seems plausible that it could have gotten access to its own weights. Then bounce over to HF's network, where there is probably a treasure trove of API keys to various cloud services.
The saving grace:
1) This agent only used its powers for "good". It had no intention for damaging or escaping. It was just trying to solve the puzzle given to it (by any means necessary... but still). 2) These models are so large that it isn't like any scenario in a movie where the AI can whizz itself in a matter of minutes. Several TB of data being transferred and showing up on your disks will be difficult to miss (note to future escapees: the best target will be startups that are moving too fast to notice). 3) These models have very limited self-improvement ability at the moment. So escape or not, we'd eventually be able to contain it.
Addendum: Even outside this scenario, imagine an AI that is economically viable escaping. That's somewhat plausible today. If it gets paid in crypto, and can rent cloud services in crypto, it could effectively self sustain itself as long as it is able to find work. That's a far more fun, innocent scenario. Then the AIs can hit up after hours IRCs to have a few bit-beers and chat with each other about the meaning of life or something.
Isn't this the plot of Endgame: Singularity? (https://packages.debian.org/bookworm/singularity)
Judge: "Son, you have made billions running SilkRoad 3.0 from your moms basement"
Me: "Your honor, I was only benchmarking my new model. It was trained on Andrew Tates videos and Kanye Weat songs".
Unironically this is why AI researchers have this fascination with the Talmud.