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
197 incidents
Generative AI Allegedly Used to Facilitate $255,000 Real Estate Fraud Scheme
A real estate scam is reported to have used AI-generated phishing emails to impersonate a title company lawyer, tricking homebuyer Raegan Bartlo into wiring $255,000 to a fraudulent account. The emails were alleged to be convincing, with no grammatical errors or tone issues. Bartlo recovered part of the funds but lost $112,000.
Trump Reportedly Shares Purportedly AI-Generated Images Falsely Suggesting Taylor Swift Endorsement
Donald Trump reportedly shared images that were purportedly generated by AI on social media that are alleged to have depicted Taylor Swift endorsing him for the upcoming election. The images reportedly included Swift dressed as Uncle Sam and fans wearing "Swifties for Trump" shirts.
San Francisco City Attorney Sues Operators of AI Deepfake Pornography Websites for Violations of State and Federal Law
In August 2024, the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office filed a first-of-its-kind lawsuit against 16 websites accused of using generative AI to create and distribute nonconsensual pornographic deepfakes, including images of minors. The sites, which had over 200 million visits in six months, invited users to upload real images to generate explicit fakes. By March 2025, 11 of the targeted websites had shut down following legal pressure.
Deepfake Elon Musk Videos Have Reportedly Contributed to Billions in Fraud
Scammers used AI to create deepfake videos of Elon Musk promoting fraudulent investment opportunities. Over time, these scams have reportedly led to billions in investor losses. The deepfakes also use voice cloning technology. They have been distributed on social media and YouTube. In particular, they target the elderly, such as 82-year-old Steve Beauchamp, to invest significant sums. Despite efforts by platforms to remove these videos, the scams continue to proliferate.
Reported AI-Manipulated Video Depicts Donald Trump Endorsing Peter Obi and Criticizing Bola Tinubu
A widely circulated video reportedly falsely depicts Donald Trump endorsing Nigerian politician Peter Obi and criticizing President Bola Tinubu. FactCheckAfrica confirmed the video was false, originally sourced from a 2017 U.S. presidential interview about Trump's first 100 days in office. AI-generated audio and altered visuals were reportedly used to fabricate a politically charged statement unrelated to the original content.
Taranaki, New Zealand Resident Allegedly Defrauded of $224K in Bitcoin Scam Using Deepfake of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon
A Taranaki, New Zealand resident allegedly lost $224,000 in a Bitcoin scam involving a deepfake video reportedly depicting Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. The AI-generated video, shared on Facebook, purportedly promoted cryptocurrency investments targeting superannuitants. Scammers posing as financial advisers reportedly gained remote access to the victim’s computer and created accounts to facilitate the transfer of funds.
Figma Disables AI Feature After Accusations of Copying Apple’s Weather App
Figma has temporarily disabled its AI design feature, "Make Design," after accusations of copying Apple’s Weather app. Andy Allen of NotBoring Software highlighted the issue, prompting Figma CEO Dylan Field to deny claims of training the AI on specific app designs. However, Field acknowledged flaws in the QA process and promised to suspend the feature until it meets quality standards. The incident has implications for designers.
Female Politicians in the United Kingdom Reportedly Victimized by Purported Deepfake Pornography
Female politicians in the United Kingdom, including Angela Rayner, Gillian Keegan, Penny Mordaunt, Priti Patel, Stella Creasy, and Dehenna Davison, have reportedly been targeted by non-consensual, purportedly AI-generated deepfake pornography. The images, which some accounts suggest may have circulated online for an extended period, were reported to have caused distress and, in at least some instances, to have prompted reports to or involvement by law enforcement.
Students at Australian Schools Reportedly Used AI Nudification Tools to Create Nonconsensual Sexual Images of Classmates and Teachers
Throughout 2024, schools in Australia reportedly dealt with a significant rise and proliferation of nonconsensual deepfake pornography of students. Often, male students are reported to use "nudify" apps such as Undress AI with images of their classmates and teachers. Many of the sites have reportedly remained legal and allegedly accessible to minors, who in turn are purportedly using the sites to generate pornography of their peers.
Senior Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong Allegedly Misrepresented in Two Deepfake Videos on Foreign Relations
Two deepfake videos falsely depicted Senior Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong commenting on US-China relations and the South China Sea. The videos misleadingly attributed views to him and the Singapore government. Posted on TikTok, the videos amassed over 190,000 views before being removed.
Purportedly AI-Generated Papers Are Alleged to Have Manipulated Scopus Rankings in Top Philosophy Journals
Three reportedly fake journals published by Addleton Academic Publishers allegedly manipulated Scopus rankings by extensively cross-citing each other and using AI-generated papers filled with buzzwords. These journals, placed in the top 10 of Scopus's 2023 CiteScore philosophy list, reportedly featured fake authors, affiliations, and grant numbers, in turn allegedly pushing legitimate journals to lower tiers, affecting academic evaluations and awards.
Reported Use of Purportedly AI-Generated Student Accounts in Online College Courses
An adjunct professor at an unspecified community college reportedly suspected that some students in his online art history and art appreciation courses are AI-powered spambots. These "students" allegedly submitted peculiar assignments, such as analyses of non-existent artworks and descriptions of sculptures using painting terminology. Additionally, their engagement with the college portal is reportedly minimal. The professor reportedly believed the spambot students aimed to fraudulently obtain financial aid by remaining enrolled in courses.
Scammers Allegedly Manipulate 2023 Speech of Singapore Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong to Spread Deepfake Investment Fraud
A new deepfake video falsely showed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong endorsing an investment product with guaranteed returns. Scammers synchronized fake audio with real footage from his 2023 National Day speech, making it appear as though he had made the endorsement. Lee called this “extremely worrying” and warned that deepfake scams are becoming more sophisticated. He urged the public to report such scams through the government’s ScamShield Bot.
Disinformation Deepfake Circulates of State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller Suggesting Belgorod Can Be Attacked with U.S. Weapons
A deepfake video of State Department spokesman Matthew Miller falsely suggested Belgorod was a legitimate target for Ukrainian strikes. This disinformation spread on Telegram and Russian media, misleading the public and inciting tensions. U.S. officials condemned the deepfake. This incident is an example of the threat of AI-powered disinformation and hybrid attacks.
WiseTech Global CEO Richard White Reportedly Deepfaked in Multiple Attempts to Scam Staffers
WiseTech Global's CEO, Richard White, was targeted in multiple deepfake scam attempts where unknown actors used AI to create videos of him requesting money from staff members via WhatsApp. These repeated attempts were identified by the employees, who realized they were not speaking to the real CEO.