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
736 incidents
Aledo High School Student Allegedly Generates and Distributes Deepfake Nudes of Seven Female Classmates
In October 2023, an unnamed male student at Aledo High School outside of Fort Worth, Texas allegedly generated and distributed deepfake nude pictures of classmate Elliston Berry and six other female students in her friend group via social media. Berry's mother, Anna McAdams, spoke with Senators Ted Cruz and Amy Klobuchar, who consequently drafted the Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks (or TAKE IT DOWN) Act.
Deepfake Video Reportedly Depicts Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema Withdrawing from 2026 Election
A viral video circulating on social media in October 2023 falsely claimed that Zambian president Hakainde Hichilema announced he would not run in the 2026 elections. Fact-checkers and digital forensics experts confirmed the video was manipulated using basic AI tools. The footage originated from a TikTok account known for AI-generated content.
AI-Generated Fake Audio of Verbal Abuse Incident Circulates of British Labour Leader Keir Starmer
An AI-generated audio clip, purporting to show UK opposition leader Keir Starmer verbally abusing staff, was debunked as fake. The clip, circulated on social media, was analyzed and found likely manipulated, with added background noise to evade detection.
Deepfake Recordings Allegedly Influence Slovakian Election
Days before Slovakia's election, deepfake audio recordings surfaced, allegedly featuring conversations between a journalist and a leading liberal politician discussing vote-rigging and other controversial topics. The recordings were spread on social media platforms and may have influenced the election outcome, which saw the pro-Russian populist party winning.
Purported Mass Facial Recognition Program in Gaza Reportedly Used by Israeli Forces to Identify Palestinians
A previously undisclosed facial recognition initiative operated by Israeli military intelligence units was reportedly deployed across Gaza after the October 7, 2023 attacks. According to multiple intelligence officers, the program uses Corsight technology alongside Google Photos to identify individuals from checkpoints, crowds, and drone footage. The system has allegedly produced misidentifications, including the widely reported detention of Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha on November 19, 2023.
Russia Reportedly Using Artificial Intelligence in Disinformation Campaigns to Erode Western Support for Ukraine
The Russian government has been stepping up its foreign influence campaigns by using artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to spread disinformation and sow distrust in policies supportive of Ukraine. Part of the strategy includes carrying out influence laundering operations by disseminating their messages to the American public via allies inside nominally independent organizations, according to a recent declassified analysis.
Deepfaked Advertisements Using the Likenesses of Celebrities Such as Tom Hanks and Gayle King Without Their Consent
Deepfake technology was used to generate video advertisements featuring celebrities. Notable examples include the likeness of Tom Hanks touting a dental plan and another one in which the likeness of Gayle King touts a weight loss product. In each case, the individuals whose likenesses and voices had been deepfaked had not consented to their images and voices being used for the commercials.
Robin Williams's Voice Deepfaked Without Consent
Zelda Williams, the daughter of the late Robin Williams, condemned the misuse of her father's voice in AI-generated productions, having cited some instances where his voice had been deepfaked, along with the potential for further misuse, as such instances do not involve consent.
Ottawa Couple Reportedly Loses CA$177,023 After Purported Deepfake Elon Musk Investment Scam
A retired Ottawa couple, Doug and Victoria Lloyd, lost CA$177,023 after being lured by a purported deepfake video of Elon Musk promoting a fake investment platform. The deepfake allegedly led to prolonged social engineering, remote access to their computer, and fraudulent cryptocurrency transfers. The couple reportedly suffered major financial loss and ongoing debt. Police say recovery is unlikely.
Purported Deepfake Technology Was Reportedly Used to Generate Naked Pictures of Underage Girls in Spanish Town
In Spain, an AI app was used to digitally alter photos of young girls, making them appear naked. This manipulation sparked an investigation after these images were circulated in Almendralejo, a town in the Extremadura region, raising serious concerns about digital privacy violations and the potential spread of these images on pornographic sites.
Deepfake Video of Ron DeSantis Dropping Out of 2024 Presidential Race Circulating
In early September 2023, a deepfake video created by C3PMeme circulated on social media, showing Ron DeSantis falsely claiming he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential race. DeSantis did not actually suspend his campaign until January 21, 2024.
Voice deepfake targets bank in failed transfer scam
In spring 2023, Florida investor Clive Kabatznik became the target of an advanced scam attempt involving a voice deepfake mimicking his own voice. The fraudulent caller, using AI-generated speech, contacted Kabatznik's Bank of America representative in an unsuccessful attempt to deceive the banker into transferring funds to a different account.
Reported Doctored Video of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu Claims Naira Will Be Replaced by U.S. Dollar
A reported viral video circulated in Nigeria in the late summer and early fall of 2023 falsely claiming that President Bola Tinubu announced plans to replace the naira with the U.S. dollar. The video, reportedly styled as a news segment from Arise News, was allegedly digitally altered using AI-generated audio and lip-sync manipulation. Arise News publicly denounced the clip as a deepfake, and no legitimate media sources corroborated the claim. The video appeared amid public anxiety over Nigeria's ongoing currency crisis.
Deepfake Voice Exploit Compromises Retool's Cloud Services
In August 2023, a hacker reportedly was successful in breaching Retool, an IT company specializing in business software solutions, impacting 27 cloud customers. The attacker appears to have initiated the breach by sending phishing SMS messages to employees and later used an AI-generated deepfake voice in a phone call to obtain multi-factor authentication codes. The breach seems to have exposed vulnerabilities in Google's Authenticator app, specifically its cloud-syncing function, further enabling unauthorized access to internal systems.
Campaign Featuring Purported AI-Generated Audio Attributed to Omar al-Bashir Spreads During Sudanese Conflict
Beginning in late August 2023, a TikTok channel called The Voice of Sudan circulated purported AI-generated audio claiming to be leaked recordings of former Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir. Experts identified several recordings as voice-cloned fabrications, derived from unrelated broadcasts by a political commentator. The campaign emerged during Sudan's civil war and appeared designed to influence political perceptions. TikTok later removed the account for violating synthetic media policies.