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
136 incidents
Google AI-Generated Search Summary Reportedly Falsely Implicated Canadian Musician in Sexual Offenses, Leading to Concert Cancellation
A Google Search AI-generated summary reportedly falsely stated that Canadian musician Ashley MacIsaac had been convicted of sexual offenses, apparently due to mistaken identity. After a venue reportedly relied on the AI-generated information, a scheduled concert was cancelled. The reported false summary caused reputational and economic harm and left the musician concerned for his personal safety. Google later amended the search results after the error was identified.
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.
Grok AI Reportedly Generated Fabricated Civilian Hero Identity During Bondi Beach Shooting
Grok reportedly generated and repeated a fabricated civilian hero identity, "Edward Crabtree," following the Bondi Beach shooting in Sydney, Australia. The system reportedly cited a fake news article and misattributed heroic actions to this fictional individual during the unfolding emergency. Contemporaneous reporting identified Ahmed Al Ahmed as the real bystander who intervened and was injured during the attack.
Prominent AI Chatbots Allegedly Produced Incorrect UK Financial and ISA Guidance
Several major AI chatbots, including ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and Meta AI, were reportedly found to have provided incorrect or misleading financial and insurance guidance for UK users. The systems allegedly advised exceeding ISA limits, misstated tax rules, gave wrong travel insurance requirements, and pointed users toward costly refund services.
NTB Report on Telenor Security Findings Was Withdrawn After AI Tool Allegedly Introduced Fabricated Quotes
NTB allegedly published a news story about Telenor's annual security report that contained purportedly AI-generated errors, including five reportedly fabricated quotes and a nonexistent "security director." The article was reportedly created with an external AI tool and was withdrawn the same morning. Telenor alerted NTB to the inaccuracies, and NTB apologized, citing improper AI use and initiating internal review of its newsroom practices.
West Midlands Police Reportedly Relied on Erroneous Copilot-Generated Intelligence in Maccabi Tel Aviv Away-Fan Ban Decision
West Midlands Police reportedly included inaccurate intelligence purportedly generated using Microsoft Copilot in materials used to justify banning Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending a November 2025 Europa League match against Aston Villa. The reported Copilot-linked error, which referred to a match that had not taken place, was later acknowledged by Chief Constable Craig Guildford.
Google's Bard, Gemini, and Gemma AI Systems Allegedly Generated Defamatory Claims About Activist Robby Starbuck, Prompting Lawsuit
Conservative activist Robby Starbuck reportedly filed a defamation lawsuit against Google, alleging its Bard, Gemini, and Gemma AI systems generated false statements linking him to sexual assault and extremist activity. Starbuck claims the outputs caused reputational harm and sought over $15 million in damages. Google acknowledged the hallucinations as known LLM behavior and stated it works to minimize such inaccuracies. See also Incident 1247.
Purportedly AI-Generated Hunting Regulation Errors Reportedly Lead to Idaho Citation and Multi-State Warnings from Wildlife Agencies
A hunter in Idaho was reportedly cited for hunting a day early after relying on an AI-generated search result that misrepresented state regulations, pulling information from a failed proposal. Wildlife agencies in Idaho, Wyoming, Illinois, and Maine later warned of similar AI errors.
Purportedly AI-Generated Home Intruder Videos Allegedly Prompt Dozens of Dutch Police Call-Outs
Dutch police reported that children used purported AI tools to generate fake videos showing a homeless intruder inside their homes, which parents believed were real. The clips allegedly triggered dozens of emergency call-outs and at least two helicopter searches for nonexistent burglars. Police posted a TikTok warning after repeated false alarms, noting the strain on resources and urging families to stop the prank.
Multiple Generative AI Systems Reportedly Amplify False Information During Charlie Kirk Assassination Coverage
Multiple AI systems allegedly spread false claims in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's assassination at Utah Valley University. Perplexity and Grok chatbots reportedly stated Kirk was alive, mischaracterized authentic video as satire, and wrongly identified Utah Democrat Michael Mallinson as the suspect. A Google AI Overview allegedly claimed Kirk was on Ukraine's Myrotvorets "enemies" list, a reported falsehood that echoed pro-Kremlin narratives.
Purportedly Taxpayer-Funded Deloitte Report for Australian Government Contains Alleged AI-Generated Citations and Fabricated Legal Quote
Australian academics reportedly identified fabricated references and a misattributed legal quote in a $439,000 Deloitte report for the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations on welfare compliance. Deleted citations allegedly referred to non-existent works, and a Federal Court judgment was misstated. Deloitte later acknowledged limited use of generative AI in preparing the report and issued a corrected version with a partial refund.
Google AI Overviews Reportedly Misrepresented Pizza Specials at Stefanina's in Wentzville, Missouri
Stefanina's, a family-owned restaurant in Wentzville, Missouri, reported that Google's AI Overviews displayed false specials, including nonexistent pizza deals. Customers allegedly misled by the AI became angry when the offers were not honored, leading the restaurant to publicly warn patrons not to rely on Google AI for menu information.
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.
ChatGPT Reportedly Suggests Sodium Bromide as Chloride Substitute, Leading to Bromism and Hospitalization
A published medical case report describes a 60-year-old man hospitalized for three weeks with severe bromide toxicity (bromism) after replacing dietary sodium chloride with sodium bromide purchased online. The patient reported making this substitution following consultation with ChatGPT, which allegedly suggested bromide as a chloride substitute without safety warnings. The harm included psychosis, electrolyte imbalances, dermatologic changes, and micronutrient deficiencies.