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
1,751 incidents
Uganda Deployed Huawei's Facial Recognition to Monitor Political Opposition and Protests
Huawei's AI systems involving facial recognition were reportedly deployed by the Ugandan government to monitor political opposition actors and anti-regime sentiments, which raised fears of surveillance and suppression of individual freedoms.
Cross-Jurisdictional Facial Recognition Misidentification by NYPD Leads to Wrongful Arrest and Four-Year Jail Time in New Jersey
In 2019, facial recognition technology misidentified Francisco Arteaga as a suspect in an armed robbery in New Jersey. The incident led to nearly four years of pretrial incarceration. Despite having an alibi, Arteaga was charged based on the flawed identification. The legal battle that followed resulted in a court ruling requiring police to reveal details about the algorithms used in facial recognition. The process exposed significant gaps in transparency and accountability.
Facebook Feed Algorithms Exposed Low Digitally Skilled Users to More Disturbing Content
Facebook feed algorithms were known by internal research to have harmed people having low digital literacy by exposing them to disturbing content they did not know how to avoid or monitor.
GAN Faces Deployed by The BL's Fake Account Network to Push Pro-Trump Content on Meta Platforms
A large network of pages, groups, and fake accounts having GAN-generated face photos associated with The BL, a US-based media outlet, reportedly bypassed Facebook moderation systems to push "pro-Trump" narratives on its platform and Instagram.
Apple Card's Credit Assessment Algorithm Allegedly Discriminated against Women
Apple Card's credit assessment algorithm was reported by Goldman-Sachs customers to have shown gender bias, in which men received significantly higher credit limits than women with equal credit qualifications.
Job Screening Service Halts Facial Analysis of Applicants
In January 2021, HireVue removed the controversial AI expression tracking tool from its virtual job interview software.
Optum Algorithmic Health Risk Scores Reportedly Underestimated Black Patients' Needs
Researchers analyzing an Optum algorithm used by a large academic hospital reportedly found evidence that it tended to under-predict the health care needs of Black patients, which in turn appeared to result in lower prioritization for extra care programs compared with white patients exhibiting similar health profiles.
Opaque Fraud Detection Algorithm by the UK’s Department of Work and Pensions Allegedly Discriminated against People with Disabilities
People with disabilities were allegedly disproportionately targeted by a benefit fraud detection algorithm which the UK’s Department of Work and Pensions was urged to disclose.
Hive Box Facial-Recognition Locks Hacked by Fourth Graders Using Intended Recipient’s Facial Photo
Facial-recognition locks by Hive Box, an express delivery locker company in China, were easily opened by a group of fourth-graders in a science-club demo using only a printed photo of the intended recipient’s face, leaving contents vulnerable to theft.
Grab Tweaked Matchmaking Algorithm, Providing Preferential Treatment to Drivers Registered with Affiliated Car Rental Service
Grab Indonesia was fined by the Indonesian Competition Commission (KPPU) for unfairly favoring drivers who rented cars via the Grab-affiliated company Teknologi Pengangkutan Indonesia (TPI), including offering more rides via their matchmaking algorithm.
Knightscope's Park Patrol Robot Ignored Bystander Pressing Emergency Button to Alert Police about Fight
A Knightscope K5 autonomous "police" robot patrolling Huntington Park, California failed to respond to an onlooker who attempted to activate its emergency alert button when a nearby fight broke out.
Thai Wallet App's Facial Recognition Errors Created Registration Issues for Government Programs
A Thai wallet app failed to recognize people’s faces, resulting in citizens and disproportionately elders unable to sign up for Thai government’s cash handout and co-pay programs or having to wait in long queues at local ATMs for authentication.
Waze Allegedly Frequently Routed Drivers through the Town of Los Gatos, Blocking Its Single Wildfire Escape Route
Waze app was blamed by Los Gatos town residents for contributing to high wildfire hazard risk via allegedly routing weekend beach-going drivers through their neighborhoods, effectively choking off their single escape route in the event of a medical emergency or wildfire.
Tesla Model 3 on Autopilot Crashed into a Ford Explorer Pickup, Killing a Fifteen-Year-Old in California
A Tesla Model 3 on Autopilot mode crashed into a pickup on a California freeway, where data and video from the company showed neither Autopilot nor the driver slowing the vehicle until seconds before the crash.
Detroit Police Wrongfully Arrested Black Man Due To Faulty Facial Recognition
A Black man was wrongfully detained by the Detroit Police Department as a result of a false facial recognition (FRT) result.