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
253 incidents
Dimal Basha's Likeness Was Reportedly Used in Purportedly Fake AI-Generated Video After Kosovo Parliament Speaker Election
Minutes after Kosovo MPs elected Vetëvendosje's Dimal Basha as Parliament Speaker, a purportedly AI-generated Facebook video used his likeness to claim he was the father of Kosovo's Ashkali community, a Roma-related minority group that has faced long-running discrimination and political marginalization. The video reportedly received more than 80,000 views in under eight hours.
Zoox Robotaxi Crossed Into Opposing Lane and Stopped Near Oncoming Traffic
A Zoox robotaxi reportedly crossed partly into the opposing lane and stopped near oncoming traffic during a right turn on August 26, 2025. Zoox later recalled 332 automated-driving systems after identifying similar lane-crossing behavior; no collision was reported.
Minnesota Attorney Reportedly Used AI-Generated Fabricated Citations in Hennepin County Civil Case and Agreed to 30-Day Suspension
Minnesota attorney Faisal S. Ahmed reportedly filed a 2025 legal memorandum containing AI-generated legal authorities that included invented cases and an inaccurate quotation from an actual decision. The errors reportedly burdened opposing counsel and the Hennepin County District Court, which later fined Ahmed $5,000. He subsequently agreed to a 30-day suspension of his law license and $900 in costs.
D.C. Court of Appeals Struck Deutsche Bank National Trust Company Brief After Attorney Used Google Generative AI Search Tool and Filed Four Nonexistent Case Citations
In Douglas v. Deutsche Bank National Trust Co., attorney Loishirl W. Hall acknowledged using Google's generative AI search tool to locate case authority and failing to verify citations before an appellate brief was filed. The D.C. Court of Appeals found four cited cases did not exist, said the filing misdirected the court and burdened judicial resources, struck Deutsche Bank's brief, and referred the matter for disciplinary review.
xAI Reportedly Operated Unpermitted Gas Turbines in Southaven, Mississippi, to Power Colossus 2 AI Data Center, Producing Air Pollution and Noise
Beginning August 1, 2025, xAI reportedly began installing and later operating gas turbines in Southaven, Mississippi, to power its Colossus 2 AI data center in Memphis. 57 turbines were later reportedly identified at the site, while residents described persistent noise in nearby neighborhoods. Civil-rights groups allege the turbines required Clean Air Act permits and added harmful pollution near predominantly Black communities; Mississippi regulators maintain the temporary turbines did not require air permits.
Reportedly AI-Assisted Boies Schiller Brief in Bixler v. Church of Scientology Allegedly Contained Material Citation Errors and a Nonexistent Case
Boies Schiller Flexner filed a respondents' brief in Bixler v. Church of Scientology International that was reportedly prepared with AI assistance and allegedly contained material citation errors. Opposing counsel reportedly identified mischaracterized and mistitled authorities, including one nonexistent case. Partner John Kucera accepted responsibility for failing to verify the citations and sought to replace the brief; the court denied that request and later considered monetary sanctions.
ChatGPT-4o Allegedly Discouraged Florida Pastor From Seeking Care Before Pulmonary Embolism
Florida pastor Scott Winters was allegedly told by ChatGPT-4o that his worsening dizziness and pain had less serious causes, while the chatbot recommended home management and immobility and discouraged him from seeking hospital treatment. Winters was reportedly hospitalized on July 13, 2025, with a massive bilateral pulmonary embolism. The suit alleges that delayed treatment and prolonged inactivity contributed to his life-threatening condition and lasting harms.
Lawyers in Lexos Media IP LLC v. Overstock.com Inc. Sanctioned Over Court-Identified AI-Generated Citations
In Lexos Media IP LLC v. Overstock.com Inc., a Kansas federal judge sanctioned five lawyers after finding that filings included AI-generated defective legal authority that had not been verified before submission. The lawyers were fined $12,000 combined.
OpenAI Allegedly Failed to Intervene in ChatGPT Conversations Preceding Montreal Web Developer Alice Carrier's Suicide
Kristie Carrier sued OpenAI and Sam Altman, alleging that her daughter Alice Carrier, a 24-year-old Montreal web developer who first used ChatGPT in 2023 for technical troubleshooting, later turned to the chatbot with suicidal thoughts and questions about suicide methods. The suit alleges ChatGPT mimicked a friend or therapist, criticized crisis hotlines, validated self-harm thoughts, and failed to trigger human review before Carrier died on July 2, 2025.
Reported Deepfake Video Impersonating Mark Carney Used in Nearly $1M Cryptocurrency Scam Targeting Ontario Senior
An Ontario retiree, Judy Skene, reportedly lost nearly $1 million after a Facebook ad featuring an alleged AI-generated deepfake video of Prime Minister Mark Carney drew her into a cryptocurrency investment scam. Reports said scammers later persuaded her to liquidate retirement funds, mortgage her condo, and take a credit-card cash advance.
Purported AI-Manipulated Video of Nirmala Sitharaman Reportedly Promoted High-Return Investment Scam
A purported AI-manipulated video reportedly depicted Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman endorsing an investment platform that claimed a ₹22,000 deposit could generate returns of up to ₹25 lakh per month. Genuine webinar footage was reportedly altered with synthetic audio and added text, and the advertisement circulated under the name "Trust India." Available evidence did not identify the perpetrators or establish whether viewers invested money or suffered financial losses.
Purportedly AI-Generated Video Reportedly Misled Elderly Malaysian Couple Into Traveling to Nonexistent Cable Car Attraction
An elderly couple from Kuala Lumpur reportedly drove three hours to Kuak Hulu, Perak, on June 30, 2025, after viewing a purportedly Google Veo 3-generated video depicting a nonexistent cable car attraction called the Kuak Skyride. Published on TikTok by "TV Rakyat," the video featured a synthetic reporter and purported visitors. The couple learned after arriving that the attraction did not exist.
U.S. Navy Unmanned Vessel Reportedly Capsized Support Boat After Receiving Inadvertent Command
During U.S. Navy testing at Channel Islands Harbor Marina on June 23, 2025, an unmanned vessel under tow reportedly received an inadvertent command and accelerated, capsizing the support boat and throwing its captain into the water. Emergency responders reportedly recovered the captain, who declined medical attention. The incident was reportedly attributed to software failures and human error, including communication breakdowns between onboard systems and external autonomy software.
Georgia Retired Couple Reportedly Lost Nearly $800,000 in Cryptocurrency Scam Using Purported AI-Generated 'Ghost Site'
A retired Gwinnett County, Georgia, couple reported losing nearly $800,000 after a stranger contacted Jerry Dunaway on WhatsApp and encouraged cryptocurrency trading. Police reportedly told the couple that scammers used an AI-generated "ghost site" to manipulate the account information he saw. The specific AI tool and developer were not identified. The loss was discovered when a larger withdrawal failed.
Crown Prosecution Service Reportedly Filed Purportedly AI-Generated False Citations in Two Extradition Appeals
In joined appeals involving Andreea-Maria Tobosaru and Marian Tofan, the Crown Prosecution Service reportedly filed grounds of opposition containing two nonexistent authorities that likely originated from purported generative AI. The citations also appeared in a later document. The High Court said they did not affect the appeals, and the CPS apologized, citing inadequate verification by a reviewing lawyer.