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
289 incidents
Tesla Driver on Autopilot Ran a Red Light, Crashing into a Car and Killing Two People in Los Angeles
In 2019, a Tesla Model S driver on Autopilot mode reportedly went through a red light and crashed into a Honda Civic, killing two people in Gardena, Los Angeles.
Tesla on Autopilot Fatally Crashed into Parked Fire Truck in Indiana
A Tesla on Autopilot mode failed to see a parked fire truck and crashed into its rear on an interstate in Indiana, causing the death of an Arizona woman.
Tesla Model 3 Crashed into Police Patrol Car on Connecticut Highway
A Tesla Model 3 on Autopilot slammed into a parked car of patrol police officers who stopped to assist a stranded motorist on the interstate in Norwalk, Connecticut.
Cross-Jurisdictional Facial Recognition Misidentification by NYPD Leads to Wrongful Arrest and Four-Year Jail Time in New Jersey
In 2019, facial recognition technology misidentified Francisco Arteaga as a suspect in an armed robbery in New Jersey. The incident led to nearly four years of pretrial incarceration. Despite having an alibi, Arteaga was charged based on the flawed identification. The legal battle that followed resulted in a court ruling requiring police to reveal details about the algorithms used in facial recognition. The process exposed significant gaps in transparency and accountability.
Knightscope's Park Patrol Robot Ignored Bystander Pressing Emergency Button to Alert Police about Fight
A Knightscope K5 autonomous "police" robot patrolling Huntington Park, California failed to respond to an onlooker who attempted to activate its emergency alert button when a nearby fight broke out.
Thai Wallet App's Facial Recognition Errors Created Registration Issues for Government Programs
A Thai wallet app failed to recognize people’s faces, resulting in citizens and disproportionately elders unable to sign up for Thai government’s cash handout and co-pay programs or having to wait in long queues at local ATMs for authentication.
Waze Allegedly Frequently Routed Drivers through the Town of Los Gatos, Blocking Its Single Wildfire Escape Route
Waze app was blamed by Los Gatos town residents for contributing to high wildfire hazard risk via allegedly routing weekend beach-going drivers through their neighborhoods, effectively choking off their single escape route in the event of a medical emergency or wildfire.
Tesla Model 3 on Autopilot Crashed into a Ford Explorer Pickup, Killing a Fifteen-Year-Old in California
A Tesla Model 3 on Autopilot mode crashed into a pickup on a California freeway, where data and video from the company showed neither Autopilot nor the driver slowing the vehicle until seconds before the crash.
Sound Intelligence's Aggression Detector Misidentified Innocuous Sounds
Sound Intelligence's "aggression detection" algorithm deployed by schools reportedly contained high rates of false positive, misclassifying laughing, coughing, cheering, and loud discussions.
Model 3 Tesla on Autopilot Crashed into a Truck in Florida, Killing Driver
In Florida, a Model 3 Tesla on Autopilot mode crashed into a tractor-trailer truck, killing the 50-year-old driver.
Tesla on Autopilot Crashed into Trailer Truck in Florida, Killing Driver
A Tesla Model 3 driver switched on Autopilot seconds before the crash into the underbelly of a tractor-trailer on a highway in Florida, killing the Tesla driver.
Apple Maps Allegedly Directed Ski Trip Couple Onto Unpaved Road in the Mountains
Near Los Angeles, Apple Maps allegedly directed a couple on a ski trip in the mountains toward into an unconventional route out of town, where the drivers found themselves lost and stuck on an unpaved road in the snow.
Warehouse robot ruptures can of bear spray and injures workers
Twenty-four Amazon workers in New Jersey were hospitalized after a robot punctured a can of bear repellent spray in a warehouse.
Tumblr Automated Pornography-Detecting Algorithms Erroneously Flagged Inoffensive Images as Explicit
Tumblr’s automated tools to identify adult content were reported to have incorrectly flagged inoffensive images as explicit, following its announcement to ban all adult content on the platform.
Reported Automated License Plate Reader Alert on Previously Stolen Rental Car Leads to Alleged Wrongful Detainment in California
A purportedly automated license plate reader allegedly flagged a rental car in California as stolen, although reports indicate it had already been recovered. Police reportedly conducted a high-risk stop and detained the occupants at gunpoint before confirming their innocence. The driver later alleged excessive force and database errors in a federal lawsuit.