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
682 incidents
Alaska Education Department Reportedly Published Policy Featuring Erroneous AI-Generated Citations
In October 2024, Alaska’s Education Commissioner Deena Bishop allegedly used generative AI to draft a school cellphone policy, resulting in reportedly fabricated citations of non-existent studies. The document, which did not disclose AI use, was shared with the state Board of Education, and despite reported corrections, AI-generated errors remained in the final resolution.
AI Transcription Tool Whisper Reportedly Inserting Fabricated Content in Medical Transcripts
OpenAI's AI-powered transcription tool Whisper, used to translate and transcribe audio content such as patient consultations with doctors, is advertised as having near “human level robustness and accuracy.” However, software engineers, developers and academic researchers have alleged that it is prone to making up chunks of text or even entire sentences and that some of the hallucinations can include racial commentary, violent rhetoric, and even imagined medical treatments.
NYC Subway AI Weapons Scanners Yield High False Positive Rate and Detect No Guns in Month-Long Pilot Test
NYC implemented an AI enabled weapons scanner for a month-long pilot with limited success. Despite not finding any weapons during the September 2024 testing phase, there were 118 false positives in which a person was searched under suspicion of carrying a weapon with no actual gun detections.
AI Detection Tools Allegedly Misidentify Neurodivergent and ESL Students' Work as AI-Generated in Academic Settings
AI writing detection tools have reportedly continued to falsely flag genuine student work as AI-generated, disproportionately impacting ESL and neurodivergent students. Specific cases include Moira Olmsted, Ken Sahib, and Marley Stevens, who were penalized despite writing their work independently. Such tools reportedly exhibit biases, leading to academic penalties, probation, and strained teacher-student relationships.
Alleged AI-Generated Photo Alteration Leads to Inappropriate Modifications in Speaker's Conference Picture
An AI image expansion tool used by a conference organizer unintentionally altered Elizabeth Laraki’s profile picture for a marketing ad, making her blouse appear unbuttoned and showing a fabricated hint of undergarments. The AI generated the lower part of the image when expanding it for vertical formatting. The conference organizers quickly apologized and removed the altered content.
Alleged License Plate Recognition Errors in Christchurch Lead to Wrongful Parking Fines
An automated license plate recognition (LPR) system at The Landing car park in Christchurch, New Zealand, reportedly issued wrongful fines to dozens of parents dropping off and picking up children. The system allegedly misidentified multiple short visits as prolonged parking, which led to disputed penalties. The operator acknowledged potential errors but continued enforcement.
Portland Water Bureau SERVUS Algorithm Reportedly Allocates Utility Bill Discount to High-Wealth Consumer
The Portland Water Bureau's AI-driven pilot program for water bill discounts is reported to have randomly selected Tim Boyle, a wealthy high-water consumer, for a 40% discount intended for financially struggling customers. The program, developed by SERVUS, is meant to identify underserved individuals by using machine learning.
AI News Site Hoodline San Jose Erroneously Misidentifies San Mateo District Attorney as Murder Suspect
An AI-powered news site, Hoodline San Jose, falsely reported that the San Mateo County District Attorney had been charged with murder, which was an error resulting from misinterpreting a press release about a case the DA's office was prosecuting. The AI-generated article wrongly attributed the crime to the DA instead of the actual suspect.
AI-Powered Transcription Services Allegedly Leak Confidential Workplace Discussions
AI-powered meeting assistants, such as Otter.ai's OtterPilot and Zoom's AI Companion, have reportedly shared sensitive and private conversations beyond the intended audience. These tools, which are set to automatically record and distribute meeting transcripts, allegedly sent confidential discussions after participants had left the meeting, the consequences of which led to unintended exposure of proprietary information and privacy breaches.
Waymo Driverless Taxi Allegedly Stalled During Pedestrian Harassment Incident in San Francisco
A Waymo driverless taxi carrying a passenger, Amina V., was stalled in San Francisco when two men blocked its path, demanding her contact information. The immobilized autonomous vehicle left the rider feeling unsafe and trapped. Waymo’s Rider Support intervened to assist the passenger.
Reported False Legal Citations in South African Case Mavundla v. MEC Generated by Purported AI Tool
In Mavundla v. MEC: Department of Co-Operative Government and Traditional Affairs KwaZulu-Natal, the law firm Surendra Singh and Associates, representing South African politician Philani Godfrey Mavundla, reportedly submitted false legal citations, apparently generated by AI, in filings at the Pietermaritzburg High Court. The court reportedly found that many of the cited cases did not exist in any databases, and the firm's legal team and article clerk allegedly failed to verify the references.
Starship Technologies Delivery Robot Reportedly Injures Arizona State University Employee
A semi-autonomous delivery robot operated by Starship Technologies reportedly struck a pedestrian employed by Arizona State University on the campus sometime in September 2023, purportedly causing injuries after abruptly reversing into her. The robot is reported to have initially knocked the pedestrian down, then moved toward her again while she was still on the ground. The company reportedly offered the victim promo codes and insurance information as an apology. On September 19, 2024, 404 Media made the police report of the incident available.
Google AI Error Prompts Parents to Use Fecal Matter in Child Training Exercise
Google's AI Overview feature mistakenly advised parents to use human feces in a potty training exercise, misinterpreting a method that uses shaving cream or peanut butter as a substitute. This incident is another example of an AI failure in grasping contextual nuances that can lead to potentially harmful, and in this case unsanitary, recommendations. Google has acknowledged the error.
ESPN's AI Coverage Reportedly Overlooks Alex Morgan in Her Final Match Recap
ESPN's AI-generated recap of Alex Morgan's final professional soccer match reportedly failed to mention her significant retirement moment, instead providing a standard rundown that missed the emotional context.
Amazon's Alexa Reportedly Shows Political Preference Error in Trump-Harris Presidential Race Queries
Amazon's Alexa was found to provide politically biased responses when asked about the 2024 presidential candidates. It refused to give reasons to vote for Donald Trump, citing neutrality, while offering detailed endorsements for Kamala Harris. Amazon labeled the discrepancy an "error" and reportedly corrected it.