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
741 incidents
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.
Peppermill Casino Facial Recognition System Reportedly Misidentified Individual, Leading to Wrongful Arrest in Reno
Purported facial recognition technology deployed at Reno's Peppermill Casino reportedly misidentified Jason Killinger as an individual previously banned from the venue. Casino security reportedly detained Killinger and contacted police, leading to his arrest by the Reno PD. He was reportedly held for 11 hours, including several hours in handcuffs, before fingerprinting reportedly confirmed the misidentification. The incident resulted in alleged physical injury and civil liberties harms.
Teen's Overdose Reportedly Linked to Meta's AI Systems Failing to Block Ads for Illegal Drugs
Meta's AI moderation systems reportedly failed to block ads for illegal drugs on Facebook and Instagram, allowing users to access dangerous substances. The system's failure is linked to the overdose death of Elijah Ott, a 15-year-old boy who sought drugs through Instagram.
Flawed AI in Google Search Reportedly Misinforms about Geography
Google's search AI erroneously claimed no African country begins with 'K', along with various other geography-and-letter-based questions, misguiding users with a flawed featured snippet. Originating from ChatGPT-written posts and inaccurately scraped by Google, this incident highlights issues in AI-generated content and misinformation in search results, compromising Google's reliability as an information source.
Alleged Gaggle Surveillance Alert Reportedly Leads to Arrest and Detention of 13-Year-Old Student in Fairview, Tennessee
Sometime in August 2023, a 13-year-old student at Fairview Middle School in Tennessee was reportedly arrested, strip-searched, and detained overnight after Gaggle's purported AI-powered surveillance system flagged a private online message as a threat. The student's comment, reportedly a joke in context, was sent to law enforcement under a state zero-tolerance law. The incident reportedly resulted in house arrest, alternative school placement, and a lawsuit alleging wrongful arrest.
Cruise Robotaxi Initially Blamed for Ambulance Delay in Case Where Patient Later Died; Subsequent Reports Clear Cruise of Fault
In an initial report, a Cruise robotaxi was said to have delayed a San Francisco ambulance transporting Sammy Davis, a critically injured 69-year-old hit by a city bus. Davis later died. Subsequent clarification revealed that Cruise was not at fault for the fatality; the actual cause was a human-operated city bus. Despite this, the incident is included as it highlights challenges in the interaction between autonomous vehicles and emergency services in urban settings.
Driverless Cruise Cars Immobilized in San Francisco Traffic Jam
A fleet of Cruise's autonomous vehicles became unexpectedly immobilized on a busy San Francisco street, causing significant traffic disruption. The incident was attributed to wireless connectivity issues exacerbated by a nearby festival.
AI Meal Planner Suggests Hazardous Chlorine Gas Recipe
Pak 'n' Save's AI-based app, Savey Meal-bot, inadvertently suggested dangerous recipes, including one creating chlorine gas, when users entered non-food household items, raising safety and oversight concerns.
University Student Reportedly Received Zero After Turnitin AI Detector Flagged Essay
An anonymized university student said Turnitin’s AI detector flagged 67% of an essay as AI-generated, despite the student claiming to have written the assignment by hand. The student reportedly received a zero and said attempts to appeal to the professor, department head, and Turnitin support had not resolved the accusation.
AI Photo Filter Lightens Skin, Changes Eye Color in Student's 'Professional' Image
An AI application modified an MIT student's photo to appear 'professional' by lightening her skin and changing her eye color to blue, highlighting the racial bias in the training data of the program.