The home console modding scene has exploded lately, with the Nintendo Switch 2 the newest console to receive a work-in-progress exploit. Yes, AI was used to find and diagnose this particular exploit — up to a certain extent, that is. Human hands still guided it every step of the way.
I still continue to have mixed feelings about AI, but I really can’t deny that it is a remarkable tool when used right. The recent Switch 2 exploit is indicative of that, with near-daily updates to its progress. There’s a lot to look forward to, and this is only the beginning.
The current Switch 2 exploit was tested using Codex
Using AI to take care of the boring bits
Created by Sammyy Hajhamid, also known as pepsipu, ns2jb is a tethered jailbreak for the Nintendo Switch 2. It can be used to run arbitrary code, potentially enabling the development and eventual release of homebrew apps and decompilations of dumped Nintendo Switch 2 games.
To give a rough approximation, pepsipu used JetKVMs to build around both generations of the Nintendo Switch, connected over both USB and HDMI to Codex. Codex would then receive both video and USB input and ideally, “automate” the jailbreak process. Codex ultimately chose two paths: a standard WebKit exploit and one tailored to a specific Nintendo Switch 1 game.
The WebKit method failed, but the backward-compatible Nintendo Switch 1 game held promise. The game in particular was SmileBASIC 4, a rather unassuming title that lets you craft simple programs.
The same developer also made a game called smilehax, which was used to execute a userland exploit for the Nintendo 3DS back in the day. Fate is not without a sense of humor, it seems — and SmileBASIC 4 is the key to getting a similar exploit up and running on the Switch 2.
Pepsipu used Codex to sniff out a vulnerability in the game (more specifically, an integer overflow), which was then used to send unverified code to the console. Pepsipu’s blog details the entire process in far more technical detail. While Codex helped with much of the process, none of this would have been possible without manual guidance and intervention. The use of AI in the homebrew scene continues to rise exponentially.
AI-assisted jailbreaks are not just restricted to the Switch 2
Other consoles and closed hardware have also had exploits discovered recently
The console jailbreaking scene has exploded lately, and the Switch 2 is still quite late to the party. We’ve already had a series of exploits and homebrew released for the PlayStation 5, allowing for custom firmware and even Linux to run on such supported firmware versions.
All of these projects have one thing in common: a heavy use of AI. While I can’t say that I am fond of vibecoded slop, I don’t see an issue with using AI to assist you along the way. It’s a powerful tool, and one even Linus Torvalds endorses.
And that’s not all. AI-assisted projects have been directly responsible for recent decompilations and ports of console-exclusive titles to PC. These ports aren’t perfect, but they are quite functional, which is especially impressive for something that was hastily put together.
Folks have even been wiring Claude to their smart TVs in order to debloat them, and getting it done is shockingly easy. That said, I’m not sure giving Claude unrestricted access to your hardware is a particularly good idea. The future is most certainly AI.
There’s still a long way to go
This is not a complete exploit — we still need a persistent CFW
Before you get too excited, this particular Switch 2 jailbreak isn’t complete. For starters, this is a tethered exploit, which means it goes away after a reboot. And so you’ll be forced to reapply the jailbreak after each power cycle.
It doesn’t help that this is still a very new development, and so there are no things like custom firmware just yet. Given the current rate of progress, I wouldn’t be surprised if we have a CFW ready within the next two weeks.
And Nintendo seems to have noticed already, with SmileBASIC 4 being delisted from game storefronts across all regions. If you plan on getting this exploit, I’d recommend making haste, as there is no way to predict when Nintendo will drop a patch.
All of this is technically in a grey area
A lot of this code is AI-generated, and that might be a problem. Even if we disregard the redundancy and overcomplication of AI-generated code, there is still a major issue.
The issue is legal risk. While AI-assisted decompilations and clean room reverse engineering efforts are technically free of proprietary code, I’d still consider them to be in a legal grey area.
It’s technically not stolen code, but it is very much inspired. This sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen, and I’m not sure how all this will play out in the future. One thing is for certain, though: AI just disrupted the whole proprietary software market, and I’m not sure this will play out well.
- Brand
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Nintendo
- Weight
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1.18 lbs
- Storage
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256GB
- Display
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1920×1080
- Output resolution
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3840×2160
- Ports
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2x USB-C, 3.5mm
The Nintendo Switch 2 upgrades the original Switch without changing what still worked fine. Whether you prefer to play on the go or while connected to the TV, the Switch 2 is a great option. A huge back catalog of Switch 1 games, plus new first- and third-party games coming all the time, mean you’ll always have something to play.