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
Giorgia Meloni Reportedly Targeted by Deepfake Pornography
In 2020, alleged deepfake pornographic videos falsely depicting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni were uploaded to a U.S. website and viewed millions of times. At the time, she was leader of the Brothers of Italy but not yet PM. In 2024, now serving as PM, Meloni reportedly sued Alessio Scurosu, 40, and his father, Roberto Scurosu, 73, seeking €100,000 in damages. She testified in court, calling the act "a form of violence."
Fraudsters Used AI to Mimic Voice of a UK-Based Firm's CEO's Boss
Fraudsters allegedly used AI voice technology to impersonate the boss of a UK-based firm's CEO, demanding a transfer of €220,000 over the phone.
Two Investment Firms Charged with Making False Claims of Artificial Intelligence Capabilities in Case of AI Washing
In a case of AI washing, the SEC charged two investment advisers, Delphia and Global Predictions, for falsely stating their use of artificial intelligence in their investment strategies between 2019 and 2023. Their misleading claims resulted in a settlement whereby the firms agreed to pay a total of $400,000 in penalties, highlighting the critical consequences of misrepresenting AI capabilities on investment decisions and trust.
Investigative Journalist Rana Ayyub Targeted by AI-Generated Deepfake Pornography
Investigative journalist Rana Ayyub was targeted by a deepfake porn campaign, where AI-generated explicit content falsely depicted her in a pornographic video. This was part of a broader effort to discredit and silence her, which included a doxxing attack that exposed her personal information that resulted in severe harassment and emotional distress.
'Jewish Baby Strollers' Provided Antisemitic Google Images, Allegedly Resulting from Hate Speech Campaign
Results for Google Images searches for "Jewish baby strollers" reportedly showed offensive, antisemitic results, allegedly a result of a coordinated hate-speech campaign involving malicious actors on 4chan.
Male College Freshman Allegedly Made Porn Deepfakes Using Female Friend's Face
A female college student's face was superimposed on another woman's body in deepfake pornographic videos and shared on 4chan allegedly by a male student whose friendship with her fell apart during freshman year.
Facebook Ad-Approval Algorithm Allegedly Missed Fraudulent Ads via Simple URL Checks
Facebook’s advertisement-approval algorithm was reported by a security analyst to have neglected simple checks for domain URLs, leaving its users at risk of fraudulent ads.
Facial Recognition Service Abused to Target Russian Porn Actresses
The facial recognition software FindFace allowing its users to match photos to people’s social media pages on Vkontakte was reportedly abused to de-anonymize and harass Russian women who appeared in pornography and alleged sex workers.