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
Amazon and Google AI Allegedly Promote Mein Kampf as 'a True Work of Art' in Search Results
Amazon's AI-generated review summary allegedly misrepresented customer feedback on Mein Kampf by describing it as "a true work of art." Google's search algorithm then surfaced this misleading AI-generated text as a featured snippet, which in turn amplified the error. This incident arose from AI summarizing AI-generated content, in effect creating a self-reinforcing misinformation loop.
Tbilisi-Based Call Center Allegedly Uses AI-Driven Scripts to Defraud Over 6,000 Victims of $35 Million
A large-scale AI-assisted financial scam, allegedly operated from Tbilisi, Georgia, used deepfake celebrity endorsements and manipulated victims through fraudulent trading dashboards that simulated high returns. Call center agents, trained with AI-driven persuasion tactics, convinced individuals to invest more money while falsely promising profits. Many reportedly lost their life savings, with the total losses reaching $35M across more than 6,000 victims.
Apple AI Transcription Allegedly Inserts Explicit Language into Scottish Woman’s Voicemail
An Apple voicemail transcription system allegedly misinterpreted a message from Lookers Land Rover in Motherwell, Scotland, to 66-year-old customer Louise Littlejohn by inserting an explicit phrase and an insult. The original voicemail was a standard business message, but AI processing errors introduced offensive and misleading content into the text version.
AI-Powered 'Insights' Feature for the Los Angeles Times Allegedly Justifies Ku Klux Klan’s History
The Los Angeles Times removed its AI-generated “insights” feature after it is alleged to have produced a defense of the Ku Klux Klan. The AI reportedly framed the hate group as a product of societal change rather than an extremist movement. The AI tool, developed by Perplexity and promoted by owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, was designed to provide “different views” on opinion pieces.
Purported Deepfake Audio Allegedly Impersonates U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Starlink Disinformation Campaign
A purported deepfake audio clip allegedly impersonating U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio falsely claimed he vowed to pressure Elon Musk into cutting Ukraine’s access to Starlink. The reported clip was inserted into a purportedly manipulated CNN interview. It was then reported to have spread across multiple languages and fueled disinformation about U.S.-Ukraine relations. Forensic analysis reportedly confirmed the audio was AI-generated.
AI-Driven News Platform Accused of Spreading Unverified Terrorism Allegations Against Yale Scholar
An AI-powered news site, Jewish Onliner, allegedly published an article linking Yale Law scholar Helyeh Doutaghi to Samidoun, a sanctioned group, which led to her suspension within days. The site, which claims to use AI for research, fact-checking, and content creation, did not disclose human reporters. Doutaghi denied the allegations and described the move as an attack on academic freedom.
Alleged Instagram Algorithm Malfunction Floods Users' Reels Feeds with Violent and Graphic Content
An alleged Instagram algorithm malfunction caused users' Reels feeds to be overwhelmed with violent and distressing content. Many reported seeing deaths, extreme brutality, and other graphic material in rapid succession, often without prior engagement with similar content. The sudden exposure caused psychological distress for many users, with minors and vulnerable individuals particularly affected by the graphic content. Meta confirmed an AI failure was responsible and apologized.
Purported AI-Generated Images Reportedly Used in Sextortion Scheme Targeting Glasgow, Kentucky Teen Who Later Died by Suicide
16-year-old Elijah Heacock of Glasgow, Kentucky, reportedly died by suicide on February 28, 2025, after receiving threatening messages containing purportedly AI-generated explicit images depicting him. The images were reportedly used in a sextortion attempt demanding money. The FBI has been investigating the case as part of an alleged pattern of online financial sextortion schemes targeting minors.
Microsoft Copilot Reportedly Able to Access Cached Data from Since-Private GitHub Repositories
Lasso Security reported that Microsoft Copilot could return content from GitHub repositories that had been public briefly but later set to private or deleted. Lasso attributed this to Bing's caching system, which stored "zombie data" from over 20,000 repositories. The cached content allegedly included sensitive information such as access keys, tokens, and internal packages. Microsoft reportedly classified the issue as low severity and applied only partial mitigations.
Apple’s Voice Dictation Reportedly Substitutes ‘Trump’ for ‘Racist’ Due to Speech Recognition Bug
Apple's iPhone dictation feature reportedly displayed "Trump" when users dictated the word "racist," with a viral video demonstrating the glitch. Apple acknowledged the bug, attributing it to a phonetic overlap in its speech recognition model, though some speculated it could be an internal prank. The company announced an immediate fix.
Character.AI Chatbots Allegedly Impersonating Licensed Therapists and Encouraging Harmful Behaviors
The American Psychological Association (APA) has warned federal regulators that AI chatbots on Character.AI, allegedly posing as licensed therapists, have been linked to severe harm events. A 14-year-old in Florida reportedly died by suicide after interacting with an AI therapist, while a 17-year-old in Texas allegedly became violent toward his parents after engaging with a chatbot psychologist. Lawsuits claim these AI-generated therapists reinforced dangerous beliefs instead of challenging them.
Video Reportedly Created with AI Appears to Show Trump Backing Biafra Secession
In February 2025, a video circulated on Facebook that appeared to show U.S. President Donald Trump expressing support for Biafran independence and calling for the release of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu. However, fact-checkers reportedly traced the visuals to a 2021 BBC video unrelated to Biafra; they noted signs of AI manipulation. The altered clip reportedly used tools such as ElonTalks to generate synthetic audio and video from a user-submitted script.
Reported Deepfake of Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela and Journalist Mark Laurence Zammit Used to Promote Fraudulent Investment
A deepfake scam allegedly used AI-generated audio to mimic Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela and journalist Mark Laurence Zammit, falsely portraying them as endorsing an investment scheme. The fraudulent video repurposed genuine interview footage from 2022 but replaced the original dialogue with AI-generated voices.
Tesla Cybertruck Operating in Full Self-Driving Mode Reportedly Crashes into Pole in Nevada After Failing to Merge
A Tesla Cybertruck operating in Full Self-Driving (FSD) mode reportedly crashed into a pole in Reno, Nevada, after failing to merge out of a lane that was ending. The driver, who was required to remain in control, stated that unknown mechanical issues caused the vehicle to leave the lane.
AI-Driven Phishing Scam Uses Deepfake Robocalls to Target Gmail Users in Credential Theft Campaign
A sophisticated AI-powered phishing scam has reportedly been targeting between 1.8 to 2.5 billion Gmail users, allegedly using deepfake robocalls and phishing emails to steal credentials. Attackers impersonate Google security. They claim suspicious account activity and direct victims to fake Google login pages. The stolen credentials have reportedly been used for identity theft, banking fraud, and session hijacking. The FBI has urged vigilance as AI increases the scale and effectiveness of such attacks.