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
368 incidents
Suspect in Palisades Fire Allegedly Consulted ChatGPT for Arson Tips and Legal Advice Before Blaze That Killed 12 and Destroyed 6,837 Structures
Federal prosecutors allege that Jonathan Rinderknecht, arrested on 10/08/2025, consulted ChatGPT for arson-related imagery and legal advice before and after deliberately starting the Palisades fire in Los Angeles on 01/01/2025. The blaze, which reignited on 01/07/2025, killed 12 people and destroyed 6,873 buildings. Prosecutors say he generated a dystopian fire image with ChatGPT and later asked about liability for fires caused by cigarettes.
China Targets AI-Driven Fraud and Deepfake Scandals with New Crackdowns
Chinese law enforcement has targeted a rise in AI-driven crimes. The crimes include deepfake and voice synthesis used for fraud, identity theft, and unauthorized personality rights usage. In particular, "AI undressing" scams, fake relationships using synthesized voices, and game hacking software make up many of these cases. In response, authorities have prosecuted multiple cases and implemented stricter regulations to control AI misuse.
Purported Deepfake Targets Olena Zelenska in Alleged Russian Disinformation Campaign
A purported deepfake video falsely suggesting that Olena Zelenska, wife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, purchased a luxury car, reportedly circulated widely online. The video is reportedly part of a Russian-linked disinformation campaign aimed at undermining Ukraine and its supporters.
AllHere's Chatbot 'Ed' Fails and Costs Los Angeles Unified School District $6 Million
The Los Angeles Unified School District invested up to $6 million in developing the AI chatbot "Ed," meant to provide academic and mental health support for students. The chatbot allegedly failed to meet expectations, and the project collapsed when AllHere, the contracted start-up, faced financial difficulties. Prince George's County Public Schools in Maryland was also affected. Founder Joanna Smith-Griffin was removed as CEO in June 2024 and later arrested on fraud charges.
Scammers Allegedly Use Deepfake Technology to Pose as Leonor, Princess of Asturias, in Fraud Scheme
Scammers have allegedly been using deepfake technology and fake social media accounts to reportedly impersonate Leonor, Princess of Asturias, targeting vulnerable individuals in Latin America. Victims were reportedly lured with promises of financial aid, requiring payments for "fees" or "taxes" before receiving funds, only to allegedly be defrauded repeatedly. TikTok accounts with thousands of followers reportedly amplified the scheme using AI to increase the appearance of credibility.
Scammers Allegedly Use Deepfake of Hong Kong Entertainer Andy Lau to Steal NT$2.64 Million from Fan
Scammers allegedly defrauded a woman in New Taipei City of NT$2.64 million (US$81,116) by impersonating Hong Kong entertainer Andy Lau using purported deepfakes. The alleged scam convinced the victim, a long-time fan, through a video call that "Lau" needed funds for a visit to Taiwan. The victim reportedly wired the money, but her family suspected a scam and involved the police. An alleged scammer was arrested after attempting to collect a staged cash payment.
AI-Enabled Fraud Schemes Reportedly Increasing Consumer Harm and Challenging Detection
Scammers are reportedly using AI tools such as language models, voice cloning, and synthetic IDs to create more convincing frauds, leading to financial losses and identity theft. Banks have begun deploying AI-driven verification tools to counter these schemes, but experts warn that AI-enabled fraud continues to cause real-world harm and remains difficult to detect.
Turkish Student in Isparta Allegedly Uses AI to Cheat on Exam, Leading to Arrest
A Turkish student in Isparta was reportedly arrested for using ChatGPT to cheat during the 2024 YKS university entrance exam. The student, identified as M.E.E., is alleged to have employed a sophisticated setup involving a router, mobile phone, earphone, and a button-shaped camera to transmit exam questions to ChatGPT and receive answers in real-time.
Teenager Reportedly Makes Deepfake Pornography of 50 Girls at Bacchus Marsh Grammar School in Australia
At Bacchus Marsh Grammar, a school in Victoria state in Australia, an adolescent male reportedly made deepfake pornography of 50 girls, ages 9 to 12. He then allegedly uploaded the pictures to Instagram, and others subsequently shared them on Snapchat.
Covert AI Influence Operations Linked to Russia, China, Iran, and Israel, OpenAI Reports
In a report released by OpenAI, the company described how its generative AI tools were misused by state actors and private companies in Russia, China, Iran, and Israel to conduct covert influence campaigns aimed at manipulating public opinion and geopolitical narratives.
American Asylum Seeker John Mark Dougan in Russia Reportedly Spreads Disinformation via AI Tools and Fake News Network
John Mark Dougan, a former Florida sheriff's deputy granted asylum in Russia, has been implicated in spreading disinformation. Utilizing AI tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT and DALL-E 3, Dougan created over 160 fake news sites, disseminating false narratives to millions worldwide. His actions align with Russian disinformation strategies targeting Western democracies. See also Incident 734.
Scammers Reportedly Used AI Voice Clone and YouTube Footage to Impersonate WPP CEO in Unsuccessful Scam Attempt
Scammers reportedly attempted to impersonate WPP CEO Mark Read using AI-generated voice cloning and YouTube footage in a Microsoft Teams scam. They allegedly created a fake WhatsApp account with Read’s image and used deepfake audio to deceive an agency leader into setting up a new business. The scheme, which was unsuccessful, aimed to solicit money and personal data.
Alleged LLMjacking Targets AI Cloud Services with Stolen Credentials
Attackers reportedly exploited stolen cloud credentials obtained through a vulnerable Laravel system (CVE-2021-3129) to allegedly abuse AI cloud services, including Anthropic’s Claude and AWS Bedrock, in a scheme referred to as “LLMjacking.” The attackers are said to have monetized access through reverse proxies, reportedly inflating victim costs to as much as $100,000 per day. Additionally, they allegedly bypassed sanctions, enabled LLM models, and evolved techniques to evade detection and logging.
Purported Deepfake Facebook Advertisement Reportedly Used Bulgarian Actor and TV Host Mihail Bilalov's Likeness to Market Joint-Pain Product
A reportedly AI-manipulated Facebook advertisement appeared to repurpose footage of Bulgarian actor and television host Mihail Bilalov, overlaying purportedly fabricated audio and altered lip movements to market an alleged joint-pain product. The ad reportedly linked to a fabricated article imitating a Bulgarian news outlet and to an online sales funnel for a product described as unavailable through pharmacies.
Purported Deepfake Facebook Advertisement Reportedly Used Bulgarian Actor, Director, and Playwright Kamen Donev's Likeness to Market Joint-Pain Product
A reportedly AI-manipulated Facebook advertisement appeared to repurpose footage of Bulgarian actor, director, and playwright Kamen Donev, allegedly overlaying fabricated audio and altered lip movements to market a purported joint-pain product. The ad reportedly linked to a presumably fabricated article imitating a Bulgarian news outlet and to an online sales funnel for a product described as unavailable through pharmacies.