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
287 incidents
Facebook's Automated Moderation Mistakenly Flagged Landmark's Name as Offensive
Facebook's automated system mistakenly labelled posts featuring the seafaring landmark Plymouth Hoe as misogynistic.
Israeli Tax Authority Reportedly Used an Opaque Automated System to Issue a Fine, Declining to Explain or Disclose the Underlying Calculation
An Israeli farmer, Moshe Har Shemesh, reportedly received a fine generated by a Tax Authority software system whose calculation officials were allegedly unable to explain. When the farmer reportedly sought access to the program or its source code to understand the basis for the amount, the authority allegedly refused, citing security concerns and the difficulty of extracting the embedded guidelines. The dispute reportedly later moved into legal proceedings focused on whether code and automated decision rules constitute information subject to public disclosure.
Robot in Chinese Shopping Mall Fell off the Escalator, Knocking down Passengers
A shopping guide robot deployed by the Fuzhou Zhongfang Marlboro Mall was shown on video allegedly walking to the escalator by itself, falling down, and knocking over passengers, which prompted its suspension.
Frontline workers protest at Stanford after hospital distributed vaccine to administrators
In 2020, Stanford Medical Center's distribution algorithm only designated 7 of 5,000 vaccines to Medical Residents, who are frontline workers regularly exposed to COVID-19.
Brand Safety Tech Firms Falsely Claimed Use of AI, Blocking Ads Using Simple Keyword Lists
Brand safety tech firms falsely claimed use of AI, blocking ads using simple keyword lists.
Poachers Evaded AI Cameras and Killed Four Rhinos
AI cameras installed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife failed to detect poachers when four dehorned rhino carcasses were found.
Facebook Mistakenly Blocked Small Business Ads
Facebook’s AI mistakenly blocked advertisements by small and struggling businesses, after the company allegedly leaned more on algorithms to monitor ads on the platform with little review from human moderators.
Autonomous Roborace Car Drove Directly into a Wall
An autonomous Roborace car drove itself into a wall in round one of the Season Beta 1.1 race.
AI mistakes referee’s bald head for football — hilarity ensued
In a Scottish soccer match the AI-enabled ball-tracking camera used to livestream the game repeatedly tracked an official’s bald head as though it were the soccer ball.
Tesla Autopilot Mistakes Red Letters on Flag for Red Traffic Lights
A Tesla Model 3 misidentified flags with "COOP" written vertically on them as traffic lights.
Tesla Disabled “Rolling Stop” Functionality Associated with the “Aggressive” Driving Mode
The “rolling stop” functionality within the “Aggressive” Full Self Driving (FSD) profile that was released via a Tesla firmware update was recalled and disabled.
Ireland's 2020 Leaving Certificate Calculated-Grades Model Reportedly Issued Incorrect Scores to Thousands of Students
After Covid-19 disrupted the 2020 Leaving Certificate exams, Ireland's Department of Education and Skills used a calculated-grades model to issue student results on September 7. The Department later confirmed coding errors in how the model handled Junior Cycle data, resulting in incorrect grades. About 6,100 students received upgraded results, and college-offer eligibility had to be reassessed.
Facebook’s Algorithm Mistook an Advertisement of Onions as Sexual Suggestive Content
Facebook’s content moderation algorithm misidentified and removed a Canadian business’s advertisement containing a photo of onions as products of overtly sexual content, which was later reinstated after review.
Amazon’s Robotic Fulfillment Centers Have Higher Serious Injury Rates
Amazon’s robotic fulfillment centers have higher serious injury rates.
Colorado Police’s Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) Matched a Family’s Minivan’s Plate to That of a Stolen Vehicle Allegedly, Resulting in Detainment at Gunpoint
An automated plate reader reportedly matched a license plate information, but of a family’s minivan and an alleged motorcycle in Montana that was reportedly stolen earlier in the year, resulting in them and their children being held at gunpoint and detained in handcuffs by multiple Aurora police officers.