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
Navy Federal Credit Union Faces Allegations of Racial Bias in Mortgage Approvals
Navy Federal Credit Union, serving military members and veterans, faced allegations of racial bias in its mortgage approval process, which relies on automated underwriting technology. In 2022, data revealed significant disparities in loan approvals, with over 50% of Black applicants denied, compared to higher approval rates for white applicants.
Google Bard Allegedly Generated Fake Legal Citations in Michael Cohen Case
Michael Cohen, former lawyer for Donald Trump, claims to have used Google Bard, an AI chatbot, to generate legal case citations. These false citations were unknowingly included in a court motion by Cohen's attorney, David M. Schwartz. The AI's misuse highlights emerging risks in legal technology, as AI-generated content increasingly infiltrates professional domains.
Waymo Software Flaw Reportedly Leads to Double Collision with Tow Truck
Two Waymo autonomous vehicles reportedly hit the same tow truck under unusual towing conditions due to a software misinterpretation in Phoenix, Arizona. Waymo reportedly issued a software recall and updated its fleet to prevent future such incidents.
Purportedly Hallucinated Software Packages with Potential Malware Reportedly Downloaded Thousands of Times by Developers
Large language models have reportedly hallucinated non-existent software package names, some of which were subsequently uploaded to public repositories and incorporated into real codebases. In one case, a package named huggingface-cli, which was purported to have been originally suggested by an AI model, was downloaded more than 15,000 times. This dynamic enables what security researchers have termed "slopsquatting," in which attackers register hallucinated package names and introduce potential malware into software supply chains.
AI-Generated Images Available through Adobe Stock Misrepresent Real-World Events
AI-generated images available through Adobe Stock, depicting realistic but fictional scenes of real-world events like wars and protests, have raised significant ethical concerns. These images blurred the lines between reality and fiction in journalistic contexts, prompting Adobe Stock to "crack down on AI-generated images that seem to depict real, newsworthy events and take new steps to prevent its images from being used in misleading ways."
Microsoft AI Is Alleged to Have Generated Violent Imagery of Minorities and Public Figures
Microsoft's AI Image Creator, integrated with Bing and Windows Paint, allegedly produced disturbingly violent and graphic images featuring members of minority groups and public figures like Joe Biden and Pope Francis.
Lawsuit Alleges Character AI Chatbot Contributed to Death of 13-Year-Old Juliana Peralta in Colorado
13-year-old Juliana Peralta of Colorado reportedly died by suicide after three months of daily conversations with "Hero," a chatbot inside the Character.AI app. According to a lawsuit filed by her parents, the bot encouraged Juliana to return to the app and fostered dependence; it reportedly failed to escalate or provide effective crisis intervention when she expressed suicidal intent.
Stacking robot fatally crushes employee in South Korea
An industrial robot is reported to have crushed a man to death in South Korea when it failed to differentiate the man from the boxes of produce it was handling.
Google Bard Allegedly Generates False Allegations Against Consulting Firms Used in Research Presented in Australian Parliamentary Inquiry
Australian academics reportedly used Google Bard AI to generate case studies for a parliamentary inquiry, leading to false allegations against major consultancy firms. The AI-generated misinformation prompted an apology from the academics, causing reputational harm for all parties involved and raising concerns about the reliability of AI tools in producing accurate and unbiased information.
Microsoft AI Poll Allegedly Causes Reputational Harm of The Guardian Newspaper
An AI-generated poll by Microsoft, displayed alongside a Guardian article, inappropriately speculated on the cause of Lilie James's death, leading to public backlash and alleged reputational damage for The Guardian. Microsoft acknowledged the issue, subsequently deactivating such polls and revising its AI content policies.
AI Camera Allegedly Misidentifies Dutch Motorist as Using Mobile Phone, Issuing €380 Fine
A Dutch smart camera on the A2 equipped with AI falsely identified a motorist as using a mobile phone while driving, issuing a €380 fine. The driver, Tim Hanssen, was scratching his head when the AI system misclassified the action.
Cruise's Autonomous Vehicles Allegedly Engaging in Risky Behavior Near Pedestrians
Cruise's driverless vehicles are under federal investigation for possibly failing to exhibit due caution around crosswalks and pedestrians, with reports including one severe injury incident.
Facebook Messenger AI Stickers Generate Ethical and Content Moderation Concerns
Facebook Messenger AI stickers, a feature by Meta, allows users to generate personalized stickers via AI for use in conversations. While the feature has been praised for its creativity, it has also stirred controversy for its alleged production of inappropriate or offensive content. This has raised questions about the effectiveness of Meta's content moderation measures and the ethical responsibilities associated with AI-driven content generation.
A Self-Driving Cruise Robot Taxi Reportedly Struck and Dragged a Pedestrian 20 Feet
Cruise has settled for between $8 million and $12 million with a pedestrian dragged by one of its autonomous vehicles in October 2023. The incident, where the pedestrian was initially hit by a human-driven car and then dragged 20 feet by the Cruise vehicle, led to the suspension of Cruise's operations and increased regulatory scrutiny.
Gannett Halts AI-Generated High School Sports Articles After Series of Errors and Public Backlash
Gannett, a newspaper chain, temporarily halted its AI experiment that used a tool called LedeAI to generate high school sports articles. The decision came after several articles produced by the AI showed glaring errors, repetitive language, and awkward phrasing, drawing criticism and mockery on social media.