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
36 incidents
Purportedly AI-Generated Image Reportedly Misled Daejeon Authorities Searching for Escaped Wolf Neukgu
South Korean police alleged that a 40-year-old man used ChatGPT's image-generation capabilities to add escaped wolf Neukgu to a Daejeon street photo, then posted the purportedly fabricated image in a company group chat. Authorities reportedly used the image in alerts and briefings, redirecting search resources and disrupting public-safety operations before police identified him through CCTV and AI-use records.
Ars Technica Retracted Article After Purportedly AI-Generated Text Was Presented as Direct Quotes From Matplotlib Maintainer
Ars Technica retracted an article after purportedly AI-generated text was presented as direct quotations from a source who disputed having said them. The editor-in-chief reportedly acknowledged a standards failure and said the publication was not consistent with Ars policy on AI-generated material, and apologized to readers and to matplotlib maintainer Scott Shambaugh. An author reportedly later said he had inadvertently used an AI-paraphrased version of the source text as quotes.
Attorney in Fletcher v. Experian Information Solutions, Inc. Reportedly Submitted Reply Brief with Purportedly AI-Generated Material Misrepresentations
In Fletcher v. Experian Information Solutions, Inc., the Fifth Circuit found that attorney Heather Hersh had used generative AI to draft a substantial portion of a reply brief that contained fabricated legal support and factual representations. The court first issued a show-cause order and later imposed a $2,500 sanction, linking the filing errors to unverified AI-generated output.
Purportedly AI-Generated Fake Videos of Louvre Heist Reportedly Circulated Widely Online
After the October 19, 2025 jewel heist at the Louvre, purported deepfakes were reported to have circulated widely online, allegedly depicting the robbery despite being fabricated.. The clips were reportedly posted on Facebook, Douyin and RedNote, and they were noted to have featured morphing artifacts, disappearing objects, and partial Sora watermarks. AI Forensics and independent checks reportedly found the scenes inconsistent with the real Apollo Gallery, confirming the footage was not real.
Bodycam Footage Reportedly Contradicted Purportedly ChatGPT-Generated Use-of-Force Narrative by Immigration Agent
Body-worn camera footage released in litigation over Operation Midway Blitz reportedly showed that an immigration agent used ChatGPT to generate a long-form use-of-force narrative based on minimal inputs. A federal judge found that multiple AI-assisted reports conflicted with contemporaneous video evidence, undermining their accuracy and credibility and raising concerns about the use of generative AI in official law enforcement reporting.
Purported Fictitious AI-Generated Citations in Supreme Court of Victoria Murder Case Filing Lead to Delay and King's Counsel Apology
Australian defense lawyer Rishi Nathwani KC reportedly filed submissions in a Supreme Court of Victoria murder case that included allegedly fictitious quotes and nonexistent case citations purportedly generated by AI. The errors were reportedly discovered by the judge's associates, causing a 24-hour delay in the proceedings. Nathwani apologized in court, taking full responsibility, while Justice James Elliott criticized the incident and reiterated that AI outputs must be independently verified.
Chris Cuomo Amplifies Reportedly Labeled Deepfake Video of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Purportedly Contributing to Misleading Political Narrative
NewsNation host Chris Cuomo reportedly shared on Instagram a video of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that was prominently labeled as a parody deepfake created with AI technology. In his commentary, Cuomo purportedly treated the statements in the video as genuine, using them to criticize Ocasio-Cortez for his audience.
Purportedly AI-Generated Video of Tigers at Barasat Madrasa in West Bengal Reportedly Causes Panic and Student Absenteeism
A purportedly AI-generated video circulated on Facebook allegedly showing tigers roaming the campus of Ula Kalsara Qadria High Madrasa in Barasat, West Bengal. The video was reportedly created by a geography teacher using AI tools and allegedly led to panic among parents and students, with a sharp drop in attendance. The madrasa reportedly issued a show-cause notice to the teacher, who claimed the video was intended as an awareness exercise.
Philippine Officials Reportedly Share Veo 3-Generated Video to Support Vice President Sara Duterte During Impeachment
Philippine Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa and Davao City Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte reportedly shared an AI-generated video made with Google's Veo 3, depicting fake students opposing Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment. The clip was reportedly styled as a street interview and went viral with millions of views. Reportedly, dela Rosa faced backlash for spreading disinformation but defended the video's message, allegedly ignoring its fabrication.
Reported Use and Circulation of AI-Generated Misinformation and Fake Victim Visuals After Air India 171 Crash
Following the June 12, 2025 crash of Air India Flight 171, bad-faith actors reportedly used generative AI to produce fake videos and images misrepresenting victims and dramatizing the event. These AI-generated fakes spread widely on social media during the investigation delay, reportedly confusing even aviation professionals and misleading the public. Experts warned that the misuse exploited the grief of victims' families and amplified misinformation about the tragedy.
Purported AI-Generated Video Depicts Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso Delivering Speech on Western Exploitation
A video reportedly published on May 25, 2025, claimed to show Burkina Faso President Ibrahim Traoré delivering a forceful speech against Western media and exploitation. The video, which purportedly used AI-generated visuals and audio, was shared widely on social platforms. Despite containing disclaimers identifying it as fictional, the video was reportedly circulated and interpreted by some viewers as authentic.
Grok Chatbot Reportedly Inserted Content About South Africa and 'White Genocide' in Unrelated User Queries
xAI's Grok chatbot reportedly inserted unsolicited references to "white genocide" in South Africa into a wide array of unrelated conversations on X. These reported interjections introduced inflammatory, racially charged content into otherwise neutral threads.
Judge Reportedly Disqualifies Butler Snow Lawyers Following Purported Use of ChatGPT-Fabricated Citations in Alabama Prison Litigation
Three Butler Snow attorneys defending a former Alabama corrections commissioner were reportedly disqualified after two motions cited five non-existent cases generated via ChatGPT. Judge Anna Manasco is reported to have publicly reprimanded the lawyers, referred them to the Alabama State Bar, and ordered broad disclosure; she declined to sanction the firm. An external review of 2,400 citations across 330 filings reported no further errors.
$31,000 Sanction in Lacey v. State Farm Tied to Purportedly Undisclosed Use of LLMs and Erroneous Citations
In the case of Lacey v. State Farm, two law firms were sanctioned $31,000 after submitting a legal brief containing reportedly erroneous citations generated using AI tools. The court reportedly found that the lawyers failed to disclose the use of AI, neglected to verify its output, and refiled a revised brief with additional inaccuracies. Judge Michael Wilner deemed the conduct reckless and issued sanctions for what he described as "improper" and "misleading" legal filings.
Norwegian Supreme Court Receives Legal Filing with Fabricated Citations Allegedly Generated by AI Tool
In early 2025, Norway’s Supreme Court (Høyesterett) received a legal filing containing hallucinated legal citations and quotes, allegedly inserted by an attorney using an AI tool without verification. The fabricated sources were detected during standard review. While no sanctions were issued, the Court updated its guidance to lawyers, warning that AI use does not exempt them from professional responsibility.