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
196 incidents
AI News Site Hoodline San Jose Erroneously Misidentifies San Mateo District Attorney as Murder Suspect
An AI-powered news site, Hoodline San Jose, falsely reported that the San Mateo County District Attorney had been charged with murder, which was an error resulting from misinterpreting a press release about a case the DA's office was prosecuting. The AI-generated article wrongly attributed the crime to the DA instead of the actual suspect.
Purportedly AI-Generated Images Reportedly Spread Misinformation During Hurricane Helene Response
During Hurricane Helene (September 24-29, 2024), purportedly AI-generated images circulated on social media, reportedly misleading the public and hindering disaster response efforts. Reportedly fake images including animals stranded on rooftops and political figures in floodwaters added confusion and disrupted emergency management. The spread of these images allegedly exacerbated existing challenges, including power outages and communication failures, all of which led to complications providing accurate information to those in need.
Reported False Legal Citations in South African Case Mavundla v. MEC Generated by Purported AI Tool
In Mavundla v. MEC: Department of Co-Operative Government and Traditional Affairs KwaZulu-Natal, the law firm Surendra Singh and Associates, representing South African politician Philani Godfrey Mavundla, reportedly submitted false legal citations, apparently generated by AI, in filings at the Pietermaritzburg High Court. The court reportedly found that many of the cited cases did not exist in any databases, and the firm's legal team and article clerk allegedly failed to verify the references.
Pieces Technologies' Clinical AI Systems Allegedly Marketed With Misleading Performance Claims
The Texas Attorney General announced a settlement with Pieces Technologies following allegations that the company misrepresented the accuracy of its healthcare AI systems used for clinical documentation. The state concluded that marketing claims about low error and hallucination rates may have misled hospitals and clinicians relying on the tools in patient care settings. The settlement imposed restrictions on future claims and required greater transparency around performance and risk.
Google AI Error Prompts Parents to Use Fecal Matter in Child Training Exercise
Google's AI Overview feature mistakenly advised parents to use human feces in a potty training exercise, misinterpreting a method that uses shaving cream or peanut butter as a substitute. This incident is another example of an AI failure in grasping contextual nuances that can lead to potentially harmful, and in this case unsanitary, recommendations. Google has acknowledged the error.
Amazon's Alexa Reportedly Shows Political Preference Error in Trump-Harris Presidential Race Queries
Amazon's Alexa was found to provide politically biased responses when asked about the 2024 presidential candidates. It refused to give reasons to vote for Donald Trump, citing neutrality, while offering detailed endorsements for Kamala Harris. Amazon labeled the discrepancy an "error" and reportedly corrected it.
Megalopolis Trailer Included Fake AI-Generated Quotes Attributed to Film Critics
Lionsgate pulled the trailer for "Megalopolis" after it was discovered to contain fake quotes from well-known film critics, generated by AI. The quotes falsely criticized Francis Ford Coppola's previous films. The incident was attributed to an error in vetting by marketing consultant Eddie Egan. Lionsgate has since parted ways with Egan and apologized to Coppola and the critics affected by the fabricated content.
Microsoft Copilot Falsely Accuses Journalist Martin Bernklau of Crimes
Microsoft's Copilot is reported to have falsely accused veteran court reporter Martin Bernklau of committing serious crimes, including child abuse and fraud. The tool is described as having generated defamatory content that not only accused Bernklau of multiple crimes he covered as a journalist but also provided his personal contact details. Attempts by Microsoft to remove the false entries were only temporarily successful, as the defamatory information reportedly reappeared.
ChatGPT Allegedly Defamed Norwegian User by Inventing Child Homicide and Imprisonment
In August 2024, ChatGPT is reported to have falsely claimed that Norwegian citizen Arve Hjalmar Holmen had killed his two sons and been sentenced to 21 years in prison. The fabricated response allegedly included specific details about the supposed crime, despite Holmen never being accused or convicted of any offense. The incident prompted a GDPR complaint for defamation and inaccurate personal data.
Grok AI Chatbot Reportedly Spreads Unfounded Rumors About Trump’s Dentures
Grok, X’s AI-powered chatbot, reportedly spread unsubstantiated claims about former President Trump’s alleged dentures during his interview with Elon Musk. The AI-generated summary is alleged to have falsely stated that Trump’s speech issues were due to missing dentures, despite no evidence. The post was quickly removed, but the incident is an example of concerns over Grok's tendency to amplify misinformation.
AI-Generated Fake 'True Crime' Video About Non-Existent Littleton Murder Goes Viral
An AI-generated "true crime" video on YouTube falsely depicted a Littleton man's "secret gay love affair" and murder by his stepson. The 25-minute video, which garnered nearly 2 million views, fabricated details and used deepfake technology to deceive viewers into believing the story was real. Despite being flagged as false by local authorities and lacking credible sources, the video sparked widespread misinformation and outrage online.
SearchGPT Reportedly Misleads Users with Incorrect Festival Dates in Demo
OpenAI’s prototype AI tool, SearchGPT, provided incorrect dates for An Appalachian Summer Festival in Boone, North Carolina during a demonstration video. The AI listed dates that were incorrect, potentially misleading users planning to attend the event, but also harming the reputation of OpenAI as the incident occurred during a high-profile event.
AI Chatbots Reportedly Inaccurately Conveyed Real-Time Political News
Over a week of back-to-back, significant breaking political news stories, including the Trump rally shooting and Biden’s campaign withdrawal, AI chatbots reportedly failed to provide accurate real-time updates. Most chatbots gave incorrect or outdated information, demonstrating their current limitations in handling fast-paced news. These incidents suggest the continuing need for improved AI capabilities and caution in their deployment for real-time news dissemination.
False Election Data on Kamala Harris Reportedly Circulated via Grok AI Chatbot
After President Joe Biden stepped aside as a presidential candidate on July 21, 2024, the AI chatbot Grok on X reportedly falsely informed users that Vice President Kamala Harris missed the ballot deadline in nine states. This misinformation, which spread widely on social media, prompted secretaries of state from five U.S. states to urge Elon Musk to address the problem.
Grok AI Model Reportedly Fails to Produce Reliable News in Wake of Trump Assassination Attempt
xAI's model Grok, intended to automate news delivery on the X platform, is reported to have struggled to provide accurate information during the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. Grok apparently issued incorrect headlines, including false reports about Vice President Kamala Harris being shot and misidentifying the alleged shooter. These errors show the pitfalls of relying on AI for real-time news aggregation, as it allegedly amplified unverified claims and failed to recognize sarcasm, undermining its reliability.