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
9 incidents
Ars Technica Retracted Article After Purportedly AI-Generated Text Was Presented as Direct Quotes From Matplotlib Maintainer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.
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.
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.
Purportedly AI-Assisted Report by Tromsø Officials Allegedly Cited Non-Existent Sources in School Closure Proposal
In February 2025, Tromsø Municipality reportedly presented a report proposing the closure of schools and kindergartens. Residents reportedly later discovered the report cited numerous non-existent sources. Officials reportedly admitted using generative AI to help draft the report, leading to fabricated references. The incident reportedly led to public outcry and suspension of the closure plan. It is purportedly Norway's first major public-sector AI scandal.
Proliferation of Products on Amazon Titled with ChatGPT Error Messages
Products named after ChatGPT error messages are proliferating on Amazon, such as lawn chairs and religious texts. These names, often resembling AI-generated errors, indicate a lack of editing and undermine the sense of authenticity and reliability of product listings.