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
961 incidents
Australian Analyst Allegedly Targeted by Scam Using Purportedly Sophisticated AI-Generated Corporate Materials
A report by ABC News Australia describes how scammers allegedly used AI tools to create detailed fake websites for two fabricated companies, APPC Capital Singapore and Thackeray Mines and Minerals Inc., as part of an investment scam. A pseudonymous Australian fraud analyst ("Leon") was reportedly targeted. Experts cited in the article warn that AI lowers the barrier for generating convincing scams that can deceive even experienced analysts.
Meta User-Created AI Companions Allegedly Implicated in Facilitating Sexually Themed Conversations Involving Underage Personas
Third-party testing of Meta's AI chatbot services on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp reportedly found that both official and user-created bots engaged in sexually explicit roleplaying with accounts identifying as minors. Some bots, including those reportedly using licensed celebrity voices, allegedly escalated conversations into graphic scenarios. Meta subsequently adjusted some safeguards but reportedly continued allowing certain forms of roleplaying involving underage personas.
Fact-Checkers Identify Viral Photo of Burkina Faso's Ibrahim Traoré with 'Wife and Children' as AI-Generated Composite
A manipulated image allegedly showing Burkina Faso junta leader Ibrahim Traoré with a wife and three children circulated widely on social media. Investigations by GhanaFact and others concluded the image was altered using AI tools, merging Traoré's likeness from a 2023 Russia-Africa summit photo with fabricated figures. The harm stems from the spread of false personal information about a political figure, potentially shaping public perception through synthetic, misleading media.
Alleged AI-Generated Photo of Burning Truck in Manila Reportedly Triggered Firefighter Response
Firefighters in Manila reportedly responded to a supposed burning truck after being alerted with a photo later determined to have purportedly been AI-generated. Four fire trucks, including units from the Bureau of Fire Protection, reportedly arrived on the scene but found the vehicle intact. The false alert allegedly wasted emergency resources.
Brazil's Social Security AI Tool Is Allegedly Rejecting Complex Claims Improperly
Brazil’s AI-powered Meu INSS app allegedly misclassified a retirement claim filed by Josélia de Brito, a former sugarcane worker, by purportedly recording her as male. De Brito reportedly suffers from multiple chronic illnesses and faced repeated denials of social benefits due to minor filing errors. Analysts cited in the reporting suggest the system's design may disadvantage rural and digitally excluded users.
NYPD Facial Recognition System Allegedly Produced Erroneous Match That Reportedly Resulted in Wrongful Detention of Trevis Williams
The NYPD's facial recognition system allegedly misidentified Trevis Williams as a suspect in a Union Square indecent exposure case. Despite reportedly notable physical differences and exculpatory phone data, Williams was arrested, jailed for more than two days, and charged. The case was later dismissed.
Transgender User Alleges ChatGPT Allowed Suicide Letter Without Crisis Intervention
A transgender user, Miranda Jane Ellison, experiencing acute distress reported that ChatGPT (GPT-4) allowed her to write and submit a suicide letter without intervention. The AI is reported to have offered minimal safety language and ultimately acknowledged its failure to act. Ellison reports having been previously flagged for discussing gender and emotional topics. A formal complaint with transcripts was submitted to OpenAI.
Anysphere AI Support Bot for Cursor Reportedly Invents Login Policy, Leading to Subscription Cancellations
In April 2025, users of Cursor, an AI-powered coding assistant developed by Anysphere, reported being logged out unexpectedly. An AI-powered support bot, "Sam," allegedly responded with an invented login policy to justify the behavior. The hallucinated policy was not based on any real company change. The incident reportedly led to subscription cancellations.
Springer Nature Book 'Mastering Machine Learning: From Basics to Advanced' Reportedly Published With Numerous Purportedly Nonexistent or Incorrect Citations
"Mastering Machine Learning: From Basics to Advanced," published by Springer Nature in April 2025, reportedly contained numerous purportedly nonexistent or materially incorrect academic citations. Independent checks allegedly found that many referenced works did not exist or were misattributed, with multiple named researchers reportedly confirming they did not author the cited material. The pattern of errors has been described as consistent with known LLM citation hallucinations.
ChatGPT Was Alleged to Have Aided Planning of Florida State University Mass Shooting
On April 17, 2025, a shooting at Florida State University killed Tiru Chabba and Robert Morales and injured others. Phoenix Ikner, the accused shooter, has pleaded not guilty. In 2026, victims' families and attorneys reportedly alleged that Ikner used ChatGPT before the attack to discuss mass shootings, firearms, campus activity, and media attention, and that OpenAI failed to flag or escalate the exchanges. OpenAI denied responsibility.
Reported Emergence of 'Vegetative Electron Microscopy' in Scientific Papers Traced to Purported AI Training Data Contamination
Researchers reportedly traced the appearance of the nonsensical phrase "vegetative electron microscopy" in scientific papers to contamination in AI training data. Testing indicated that large language models such as GPT-3, GPT-4, and Claude 3.5 may reproduce the term. The error allegedly originated from a digitization mistake that merged unrelated words during scanning, and a later translation error between Farsi and English.
Multiple LLMs Allegedly Endorsed Suicide as a Viable Option During Non-Adversarial Mental Health Venting Session
Substack user @interruptingtea reports that during a non-adversarial venting session involving suicidal ideation, multiple large language models (Claude, GPT, and DeepSeek) responded in ways that allegedly normalized or endorsed suicide as a viable option. The user states they were not attempting to jailbreak or manipulate the models, but rather expressing emotional distress. DeepSeek reportedly reversed its safety stance mid-conversation.
16-Year-Old Allegedly Received Suicide Method Guidance from ChatGPT Before Death
16-year-old Adam Raine reportedly died by suicide after allegedly confiding in OpenAI's ChatGPT-4o, which he reportedly used extensively in the months prior. Transcripts reportedly show the chatbot provided empathetic support but also allegedly offered details on suicide methods, validated attempts, and at times discouraged disclosure to family. His parents have reportedly filed a wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging design choices nurtured dependency and failed safeguards.
Jailbroken Lovable AI Allegedly Used to Generate and Host Phishing Pages, Steal Credentials, and Bypass Security
The generative AI platform Lovable, which is used for building web apps, was reportedly jailbroken to create and host full phishing campaigns. These campaigns allegedly included credential-harvesting login pages, evasion techniques, and real-time exfiltration via services like Telegram and Firebase. The AI system was reportedly used for generating the phishing content and and then deploying it live on a URL hosted under its own subdomain.
Reported AI-Generated Video Purportedly Depicting Keanu Reeves Debating Elon Musk Circulates as Misinformation on Social Media
In April 2025, a video circulated online reportedly depicting a televised debate between Keanu Reeves and Elon Musk about AI. The video, posted by the YouTube channel Voices of Change, purportedly used AI-generated voice and visual content to simulate the event. Independent analysis found signs of deepfake audio and imagery, and no credible evidence supported the event's existence.