AI Incidents
Real-world cases where AI systems caused harm, classified by risk domain and entity. Data sourced from 
AIID and classified by 
MIT AI Risk Initiative. CC BY-SA 4.0
6 incidents
Washington State DOL's AI Phone System Reportedly Failed to Provide Spanish-Language Service to Callers Requesting Spanish
For months, callers to the Washington State Department of Licensing who selected Spanish reportedly received AI-generated English responses spoken with a Spanish accent rather than actual Spanish-language service. The agency reportedly apologized and said staff configuration caused the error, which purportedly created accessibility problems for callers seeking language support.
AI Training Dataset for Detecting Nudity Allegedly Found to Contain CSAM Images of Identified Victims
An image dataset, NudeNet, used to train systems for detecting nudity was reportedly found to contain CSAM images, including material involving identified or known victims. According to the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, the dataset had been widely downloaded and cited in academic research prior to discovery. The images were allegedly included without vetting, exposing researchers to legal risk and perpetuating harm to victims. The dataset was subsequently removed following notification.
Unrestricted AI Avatar Tool Accidentally Released by TikTok Permits Recitation of Hitler Quotes and Other Harmful Speech
TikTok accidentally released an internal version of its AI digital avatar tool without safeguards, allowing users to generate videos where avatars could recite harmful content, including quotes from Hitler. The tool, meant for advertisers, was accessible to personal accounts and lacked the watermark indicating AI-generated content. TikTok has since removed the tool and acknowledged the problem.
VA Suicide Prevention Algorithm REACH VET Reportedly Prioritizes Men Over Women Veterans
An AI program named REACH VET, designed and used by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to prevent veteran suicides, was reportedly found to prioritize white men while neglecting female veterans and survivors of military sexual trauma. This oversight persists despite rising suicide rates among these groups. The incident is an example of algorithmic bias and the exclusion of critical risk factors for female veterans.
Child Sexual Abuse Material Taints Image Generators
The LAION-5B dataset (a commonly used dataset with more than 5 billion image-description pairs) was found by researchers to contain child sexual abuse material (CSAM), which increases the likelihood that downstream models will produce CSAM imagery. The discovery taints models built with the LAION dataset requiring many organizations to retrain those models. Additionally, LAION must now scrub the dataset of the imagery.
Robot Deployed by Animal Shelter to Patrol Sidewalks outside Its Office, Warding off Homeless People in San Francisco
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) deployed a Knightscope robot to autonomously patrol the area outside its office and ward off homeless people, which was criticized by residents as a tool of intimidation and ordered by the city of San Francisco to stop its use on a public right-of-way.