---
title: AI decrypts messages that stumped humans for 108 years
url: https://www.dataloco.com/en/ai-decrypts-messages-that-stumped-humans-for-108-years
published: 2026-09-23T20:20:31+00:00
language: en
section: Data
source: https://niebezpiecznik.pl/post/ai-rozgryzlo-zaszyfrowane-depesze-nad-ktorymi-ludzie-bezskutecznie-pracowali-108-lat/
organizations: gpt-6, astra, klausschmeh, prinz
publisher: Dataloco
---

# AI decrypts messages that stumped humans for 108 years

AI successfully decrypted two German radio messages from 1918, which had remained unsolved for over 100 years. GPT-6 Astra analyzed the messages, which were part of a list of the 50 most important unread encrypted telegrams, managed by Klaus Schmeh. The breakthrough was achieved by a programmer known as prinz.

The first message, encoded using the ADFGVX cipher, was transmitted on November 27, 1918. The AI utilized a known key that had previously been overlooked by researchers. The keyword used was TRUPPENVERSCHIEBUNG, meaning "troop movement," which had been documented in a military cipher monograph but was assumed to be valid only from December 9, 1918. The AI tested the hypothesis that the telegraph operator used the key "too early." The decrypted content confirmed that the HMS Canterbury arrived in Sevastopol on November 24, 1918, matching historical records.

The second message, labeled RICHI-240, presented a unique challenge as it was missing 20 characters out of a 240-character signature. The AI tested various arrangements to identify a coherent text, ultimately confirming the missing digits by cross-referencing with a French intelligence telegram from November 11, 1918.

Despite the successful decryption, experts noted that a motivated human cryptanalyst could have achieved similar results, although they did not. It is important to recognize that the full prompts and the model's operational costs remain unknown. This achievement is not a breakthrough against current encryption standards but rather a demonstration of how AI can assist in decrypting historical messages. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving encrypted communications, as they may be deciphered in the future.

Additionally, readers were reminded of previous decryption efforts, including a case involving the FBI about notes from a murder victim, highlighting the ongoing significance of cryptography in both historical and contemporary contexts.