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
314 incidents
Student-Developed Facial Recognition App Raised Ethical Concerns
TheFaceTag app, a social networking app developed and deployed within-campus by a student at Harvard raised concerns surrounding its facial recognition, cybersecurity, privacy, and misuse. This incident has been downgraded to an issue as it does not meet current ingestion criteria.
Traffic Camera Misread Text on Pedestrian's Shirt as License Plate, Causing UK Officials to Issue Fine to an Unrelated Person
A Bath resident was wrongly fined by the local officials because an automated license plate recognition camera misread the text on her shirt as a license plate number.
Amazon's AI Cameras Incorrectly Penalized Delivery Drivers for Mistakes They Did Not Make
Amazon's automated performance evaluation system involving AI-powered cameras incorrectly punished delivery drivers for non-existent mistakes, impacting their chances for bonuses and rewards.
Apple’s AVs Reportedly Struggled to Navigate Streets in Silicon Valley Test Drives
Apple’s autonomous cars were reported to have bumped into curbs and struggled to stay in their lanes after crossing intersections during an on-road test drives near the company’s Silicon Valley headquarters.
Epic Systems’s Sepsis Prediction Algorithms Revealed to Have High Error Rates on Seriously Ill Patients
Epic System's sepsis prediction algorithms was shown by investigators at the University of Michigan Hospital to have high rates of false positives and false negatives, allegedly delivering inaccurate and irrelevant information on patients, contrasting sharply with their published claims.
AI Tools Failed to Sufficiently Predict COVID Patients, Some Potentially Harmful
AI tools failed to sufficiently predict COVID patients, some potentially harmful.
Tesla's Autopilot Misidentified the Moon as Yellow Stop Light
Tesla's Autopilot was shown on video by its owner mistaking the moon for a yellow stop light, allegedly causing the vehicle to keep slowing down.
Facebook's Automated Moderation Flagged Gardening Group's Language Use by Mistake
Facebook's automated system flagged gardening groups' use of "hoe" and violent language against bugs as a violation by mistake.
Three Robots Collided, Sparking Fire in a Grocer's Warehouse in UK
A collision involving three robots at an Ocado's warehouse in Erith, UK, resulting in a fire but no reports of injuries.
SoftBank's Humanoid Robot, Pepper, Reportedly Frequently Made Errors, Prompting Dismissal
SoftBank's robot allegedly kept making mechanical errors, taking unplanned breaks, failing to recognize previously-met people, and breaking down during practice runs.
Algorithmic Allocation of Resources in Healthcare for Disabled and Elderly Care Services Allegedly Harmed Patients
A healthcare algorithm designed to equitably distribute caregiving resources is alleged to have drastically cut care hours for the disabled and elderly, purportedly leading to significant hardships and harm. Initially developed for fair resource allocation, the system reportedly faced legal challenges for its inability to accurately assess individual needs, resulting in allegedly reduced essential care.
Hiring Algorithms Provided Invalid Positive Results for Interview Responses in German
Two AI interview softwares provided positive but invalid results such as "competent" English proficiency and high match percentage for interview responses given in German by reporters.
Maryland Police Allegedly Relied on Facial Recognition Lead in Wrongful Arrest and Detention of Kimberlee Williams
Kimberlee Williams was reportedly arrested in Oklahoma on Maryland warrants after police allegedly relied on a facial recognition lead that incorrectly identified her as a suspect in bank fraud cases. The ACLU said Williams had never been to Maryland, police failed to investigate alibi evidence placing her in Oklahoma, and she spent about six months in jail before the charges were dropped.
McDonald's Reportedly Ends IBM Partnership After AI Drive-Thru Ordering Errors at U.S. Locations
Between 2021 and mid-2024, McDonald's reportedly piloted an AI-enabled voice ordering system that was developed with IBM and based on its 2019 acquisition of Apprente. It was reportedly deployed at at over 100 U.S. drive-thrus. Social media posts alleged frequent misorders, such as adding unwanted items, mixing adjacent lane orders, and ignoring corrections. In June 2024, McDonald's confirmed it ended the IBM pilot, citing plans to explore alternative voice-AI vendors.
Tesla FSD Misidentified Truck Hauling Traffic Lights as Trail of Traffic Lights
A Tesla driver posted on Twitter his Tesla FSD's "glitch," misidentifying deactivated traffic lights being carried by a truck as a constant trail of traffic lights while traveling at high speed on a highway.