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
271 incidents
Disinformation Deepfake Circulates of State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller Suggesting Belgorod Can Be Attacked with U.S. Weapons
A deepfake video of State Department spokesman Matthew Miller falsely suggested Belgorod was a legitimate target for Ukrainian strikes. This disinformation spread on Telegram and Russian media, misleading the public and inciting tensions. U.S. officials condemned the deepfake. This incident is an example of the threat of AI-powered disinformation and hybrid attacks.
WiseTech Global CEO Richard White Reportedly Deepfaked in Multiple Attempts to Scam Staffers
WiseTech Global's CEO, Richard White, was targeted in multiple deepfake scam attempts where unknown actors used AI to create videos of him requesting money from staff members via WhatsApp. These repeated attempts were identified by the employees, who realized they were not speaking to the real CEO.
Kenyan Journalist Jeff Koinange Depicted Endorsing Gambling App in Purported AI-Generated Deepfake
A viral video purportedly manipulated by AI shows Kenyan journalist Jeff Koinange endorsing a mobile gambling app. The video was reportedly created using AI deepfake techniques, uses footage from a legitimate news broadcast, and artificially alters Koinange's voice and mouth movements. Neither Koinange nor Citizen TV has promoted the app, and no legitimate source hosts the video.
Alleged Deepfake Audio Depicts Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Ordering Military Action
A purported deepfake audio clip portraying Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordering an attack on China spread online in July 2024, fueling tensions in the West Philippine Sea. The Presidential Communications Office reportedly debunked it as fake, attributing it to foreign actors.
Child Predators Are Reportedly Generating Deepfake Nudes of Children to Extort Them
Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has reported that it has found a manual on the dark web that encourages criminals to use "nudifying" AI tools to depict children naked in order to extort victims into providing graphic content.
Amandine Le Pen Deepfake Account Misleads Thousands on TikTok
A TikTok account, "Amandine Le Pen," created using AI deepfake technology, impersonated a fictional niece of Marine Le Pen, amassing over 30,000 followers. The account spread pro-RN messages and solicited donations, misleading users and exploiting political influence. Visual inconsistencies revealed the deepfake, raising concerns about AI misuse for political manipulation, identity theft, and violation of personal rights, especially with similar accounts proliferating, such as "Lena Maréchal Lepen."
Reported Audio Deepfake Impersonating CEO Karim Toubba Targets LastPass Employee via WhatsApp
A LastPass employee was reportedly targeted by an audio deepfake impersonating CEO Karim Toubba via WhatsApp. The message used voice-cloning AI in a social engineering attempt to create urgency and bypass security protocols. The employee recognized red flags, reported the incident, and no breach occurred. LastPass shared the incident publicly to raise awareness about deepfake-driven fraud campaigns targeting executives and companies.
Deepfake Porn Sites Use Breeze Liu's Image Without Consent
Porn sites are alleged to have used AI-generated images of Breeze Liu without her consent, leading to severe emotional distress. Liu discovered a video of herself on Pornhub, which was then deepfaked and spread across over 800 links. Despite efforts to remove the content, many sites refused to comply, perpetuating the violation and exploitation of her image.
California Homeowner Reportedly Loses Insurance After Purported Aerial Imagery-Based Roof Assessment
A California homeowner's insurance policy was reportedly not renewed after CSAA relied on aerial imagery, purportedly analyzed by an AI system, to assess the roof as having reached the end of its life. The homeowner, Cindy Picos, reportedly commissioned an independent inspection suggesting the roof had a decade of remaining life, but CSAA declined to reverse the decision. The insurer reportedly did not provide the imagery for review.
Reportedly Viral AI-Generated Song about 'Diddy Party' Allegedly Mimics Justin Bieber
A purportedly AI-generated song imitating Justin Bieber's voice, allegedly referencing a "Diddy party," spread widely across social media, reportedly leading fans to believe it was authentic. Experts reportedly identified the audio as likely AI-made, citing frequency mismatches and digital artifacts. The reportedly viral song misrepresented Bieber, posing potential brand and revenue impacts for the artist while misleading listeners.
China Reportedly Intensifying AI to Spread Disinformation to U.S. and Taiwanese Voters
AI tools linked to China were used to disseminate disinformation targeting voters in the U.S. and Taiwan, according to a Microsoft report. These operations included AI-generated imagery and audio to influence political perceptions and election outcomes, originating from the APT Storm-1376 (also known as Spamouflage and Dragonbridge).
'Lavender' and 'The Gospel' AI Systems Reportedly Used in Gaza Targeting Operations with Civilian Harm Allegations
The AI system known as "Lavender" was reportedly used by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to assist in identifying individuals in Gaza for targeting, while a related system, "The Gospel," was reportedly used to help select and prioritize physical strike targets. Investigations reportedly suggest that these systems operated with limited human review and may have contributed to strikes associated with high civilian casualties. The extent of automation with human oversight, as well as the accuracy of these targeting processes, reportedly remain subjects of dispute.
AI Deepfakes for Voter Outreach Flood Indian Elections
During the 2024 Indian elections, politicians used AI-generated deepfakes to reach voters, who might be unaware they're interacting with digital clones. Providers like Divyendra Singh Jadoun of Polymath Synthetic Media Solutions created deepfakes for personalized messages. This practice, used by various political parties, is not truthful, as voters may be misled by AI-generated content posing as genuine interactions with political figures.
Investigation Reports Unauthorized Deepfake Pornography Harms Thousands of Celebrities
A Channel 4 News investigation alleges that nearly 4,000 celebrities globally, including 255 British figures, were victims of deepfake pornography. Faces were superimposed onto explicit content using AI, with the top deepfake sites garnering 100 million views in three months, according to their findings.
Alleged Deepfake Video Depicts Former President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta Announcing 2027 Presidential Bid
A widely shared TikTok video purportedly manipulated by AI depicts former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta announcing a 2027 presidential run. Reported digital forensics and visual inconsistencies confirm the video is an AI-generated deepfake, using archival footage from his presidency with synthesized audio. The clip spread rapidly online but has reportedly been debunked by fact-checkers. Kenyatta has made no such announcement, and such a move would violate Kenya's two-term constitutional limit.