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
538 incidents
Shein Accused of AI-Driven Art Theft on Merchandise
Artists Krista Perry, Larissa Martinez, and Jay Baron filed a lawsuit against Shein, alleging the company used AI to replicate their art on merchandise. The artists claim Shein's algorithm identifies trending online art, creating near-identical copies for their products without credit or compensation.
Grant Reviewers Reportedly Fed Applications into Generative AI to Produce Reports, Allegedly Breaching Confidentiality
Peer reviewers of Australian government grant applications reportedly inserted applicants' work into generative AI systems such as ChatGPT to generate assessment reports, which allegedly posed confidentiality and security issues.
Amazon Rife with Many Allegedly AI-Generated Books of Suspect Quality
Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited young adult romance bestseller list was flooded with allegedly AI-generated books that made little to no sense, disrupting the rankings. These books were reported to be "clearly there to click farm." Despite being removed from the bestseller list, many remained available for purchase. The incident raised concerns about the integrity of the platform, and the potential financial impact on legitimate authors.
Ron DeSantis's Presidential Campaign Released Twitter Video Containing AI Images of Donald Trump Hugging Anthony Fauci
Ron DeSantis’s presidential campaign shared a video on Twitter featuring some AI-generated images of Donald Trump hugging former White House coronavirus advisor Anthony Fauci, allegedly as a smear campaign. This incident is possibly the first time a major U.S. presidential campaign deployed deepfakes with the intention of misleading the electorate.
AI-Generated Voices Amplify Conspiracy Theories on TikTok
NewsGuard has identified 17 TikTok accounts that have been using AI-generated voices to advance and amplify conspiracy theories and false claims beginning in June 2023. By September 25, 2023, these accounts had amassed over 336 million views and over 14.5 million likes. Videos include baseless claims involving public figures such as Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and Jamie Foxx.
Donald Trump's Presidential Campaign Released Deepfakes Attacking Ron DeSantis
Former President Donald Trump released two AI-generated videos using deepfaked voices to mock Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The first video, posted on platforms like Rumble and Instagram, depicted a chaotic and offensive fake Twitter Spaces event featuring deepfaked voices of Elon Musk, George Soros, Klaus Schwab, Dick Cheney, Adolf Hitler, and a generated voice of Satan. The second video showed a rocket with "Ron 2024" written beside it falling and exploding before liftoff.
Alleged Use of Purportedly AI-Generated and Manipulated Media to Misrepresent Candidates and Disrupt Turkey's 2023 Presidential Election
During Turkey's 2023 presidential election, reportedly manipulated and allegedly AI-generated videos, audio, and images were used to smear candidates, purportedly link opposition figures to terrorist groups, and circulate a purported sex tape that reportedly contributed to presidential candidate Muharrem İnce’s withdrawal. These incidents reportedly misled voters, disrupted campaigning, and altered the electoral field.
Iranian Hacker Group Cotton Sandstorm Reportedly Integrating AI into Cyber Influence Operations
The Iranian state-sponsored group Cotton Sandstorm, linked to the IRGC, has integrated generative AI into cyber influence operations. In December 2023, it launched Operation “For Humanity," using AI-crafted messaging to hijack a U.S.-based IPTV streaming service with propaganda about the Israel-Hamas conflict. The group also engages in election-related reconnaissance, which suggests they used AI-enhanced influence efforts ahead of the 2024 U.S. election.
Novel Deepfake Song Pulled from Music Streaming Services After Allegedly Violating Artist's Rights
The deepfake performance of "Heart On My Sleeve" created to mimic the voice and musical styles of Drake and The Weeknd is no longer available on several streaming services after their record label served copyright takedown notices to the platforms.
Purported AI-Generated Audio Disinformation Reportedly Attributed to U.S. Ambassador John Godfrey Circulates in Sudan
In April 2023, a reportedly fake audio message impersonating U.S. Ambassador to Sudan John Godfrey circulated on Sudanese social media. Reportedly produced using AI voice-cloning tools, the message portrayed the ambassador outlining strategies to impose secularism through U.S. support. Researchers attribute the clip to Islamist-linked networks seeking to undermine Western and civilian influence during the ongoing civil conflict. The message was quickly identified as inauthentic.
Chinese Businessman Reportedly Defrauded of 4.3 Million Yuan by AI-Generated Deepfake Impersonating Friend
A scammer in China used AI-generated deepfake technology to impersonate a businessman’s trusted friend in a video call, convincing him to transfer 4.3 million yuan ($612,000). The fraudster mimicked the friend’s face and voice, claiming another associate needed funds for a business transaction. Without verifying the transfer, the victim sent the money. He later realized the deception and contacted police, who managed to recover 3.4 million yuan.
Quebec Man Sentenced for Having Used Deepfake Technology to Create Synthetic Child Pornography
A Quebec man was sentenced to over three years in prison for using AI deepfake technology to produce synthetic child pornography. He created videos by superimposing children's faces onto other bodies, adding to the challenge of policing digital sexual exploitation. This case marks a disturbing use of AI in criminal activities, raising concerns about digital safety and the vulnerability of children's images online.
FBI Reported Surge of Extortion Cases of AI Media Featuring Sexual Explicit Activities
The FBI reported an increase in sextortion cases featuring the use of fake, including AI-generated, images or videos created from content posted on their social media sites or web postings, provided to the malicious actor upon request, or captured during video chats.
South Korean man used AI to create sexual images of children
A South Korean man used AI technology to generate 360 images of a sexual nature depicting children in April of 2023. The police confiscated the images and the courts sentenced the man to two and a half years in prison. The case marked the first of its nature in the South Korean court system.
Scammers Deepfaked Videos of Victims' Loved Ones Asking for Funds over Facebook in Vietnam
In Vietnam, to convince victims of their disguises when prompted, scammers deepfaked audios and videos of victims' friends and families asking them over Facebook to send over thousands of dollars.