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
566 incidents
Bias in AI Deepfake Detection Undermines Election Security in Global South
AI deepfake detection tools are reportedly failing voters in the Global South due to biases in their training data. These tools, which prioritize English language and Western faces, show reduced accuracy when detecting manipulated content from non-Western regions. As a result of this detection gap, election integrity faces threats from and the amplification of misinformation, which leaves journalists and researchers with inadequate resources to combat the issue.
Russian Disinformation Campaign Allegedly Used Fake News Site 'KBSF-San Francisco News' and Deepfake Video to Falsely Accuse Kamala Harris of 2011 Hit-and-Run
A Russian disinformation campaign allegedly used a fake news site, "KBSF-San Francisco News," and an AI-generated deepfake video to falsely accuse Kamala Harris of a 2011 hit-and-run accident in San Francisco. The deepfake featured a fabricated African-American victim, whose AI-generated testimony spread widely across social media. Microsoft identified the hoax as part of Russian cyber influence operations targeting the 2024 U.S. election, with the site registered in Iceland.
AkiraBot Reportedly Used OpenAI to Spam Website Chats and Contact Forms at Scale
SentinelLabs reported that unknown operators used AkiraBot, a Python framework, plus OpenAI's chat API to generate customized SEO spam and bypass CAPTCHAs, posting via SMB websites' contact forms and Reamaze-style chat widgets. Researchers assessed >400k domains were targeted and ≥80k successfully spammed since 09/01/2024. OpenAI said the API key was disabled after disclosure.
Purportedly AI-Manipulated Video Reportedly Misrepresented Bulgarian DPS Figure Ahmed Dogan and Spread via TikTok and Facebook
A reportedly AI-manipulated video appeared to repurpose footage of Ahmed Dogan, honorary chairman of Bulgaria's Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), by overlaying synthetic audio that made him seem to urge party members to protest in defense of his wealth. The clip reportedly originated from a satirical TikTok account and was later circulated on Facebook by anonymous profiles.
South Korea Reportedly Experienced a Surge of Explicit Deepfake Pornography
At the end of August 2024, South Korean authorities reportedly began investigating a significant surge in the creation and dissemination, often via Telegram, of explicit deepfake pornography created without consent from the stolen social media content of female classmates, teachers, and neighbors.
Video with Reportedly AI-Generated Media Purported to Show Croatian Immunologist Stipan Jonjić Promoting Anti-Parasite Product on Facebook
A Facebook page reportedly posted a video that purported to show Croatian immunologist Stipan Jonjić endorsing an anti-parasite product and recommending it over conventional treatment. The clip was reported to use AI-generated or manipulated media, and Jonjić denied involvement. A woman was reported to have purchased the product after seeing the ad.
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Soldier Faces Allegations of Using AI to Generate Child Pornography
Seth Herrera, a U.S. Army soldier at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), is accused of using artificial intelligence to generate pornography depicting minors with whom he was in contact.
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.
AI Image of Kamala Harris at DNC with Communist Flags Circulated by Trump
Donald Trump shared an AI-generated image on social media that falsely depicted Kamala Harris speaking at a DNC event surrounded by communist imagery including the hammer and sickle of the Soviet Union. The image was intended to undermine Harris ahead of the Democratic National Convention and to suggest that her views are aligned with communism.
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.
TikTok AI System Used to Amplify Election Disinformation by Foreign Networks
AI-generated misinformation on TikTok, driven by foreign networks, has flooded the platform with false narratives about the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Thousands of videos spreading political lies were identified, potentially influencing millions of users. Despite TikTok’s efforts to remove these accounts, the AI-driven disinformation campaign continues to challenge the integrity of the election.
Purportedly AI-Manipulated Synthetic Media Allegedly Fuels False Reports of Natural Disasters and Accidents in China
In China, purported AI tools were reportedly used to fabricate and disseminate false reports of disasters, including a landslide in Yunnan, an earthquake in Sichuan, and a sudden death after a traffic incident. On May 27, 2024, a real 5.0-magnitude earthquake occurred in Muli County, Sichuan, with no casualties and limited property damage. However, a social media post later falsely claimed the epicenter was in Xide County and exaggerated the event's severity, adding fabricated images of extensive destruction. The deployers of these false reports have since received administrative penalties from Chinese authorities for their actions.
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.