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
Westlaw CoCounsel Reportedly Generated False Legal Quotations in United States v. Farris
In United States v. Farris, court-appointed attorney Steven N. Howe admitted using Westlaw CoCounsel to draft appellate briefs that reportedly included AI-generated false quotations and misleading descriptions of precedent. The filing disrupted Farris's appeal, leading the court to appoint new counsel and restart briefing, while Howe lost his compensation and faced possible disciplinary action.
AWS Outage Reportedly Caused AI-Enabled Eight Sleep Smart Beds to Overheat and Malfunction
The widespread Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage on October 20, 2025 reportedly caused AI-enabled Eight Sleep "Pod" smart beds to overheat or become unresponsive. The devices reportedly rely on a cloud-hosted deep learning algorithm to regulate temperature and track sleep data. When AWS went down, users reportedly lost control of their beds, which remained stuck at prior settings. Some reported overheating and incline malfunctions. Eight Sleep confirmed it is developing an offline "outage mode."
Alleged False Positive by Omnilert AI Gun Detection System Prompts Police Search at Baltimore County High School
A purportedly AI-powered gun detection system at Kenwood High School in Baltimore County, Maryland, reportedly misidentified a student's empty Doritos bag as a firearm. Armed police reportedly detained and handcuffed the student before determining there was no weapon. The AI system, operated by Omnilert, issued the false alert, leading to public outcry and an official review of school security protocols. Omnilert reportedly expressed regret for the incident.
California Immigration Attorneys Reportedly Sanctioned Over Briefs Containing Probable Hallucinations in LNU v. Blanche
California immigration attorneys Mike Singh Sethi and William Rounds were reportedly sanctioned in LNU v. Blanche after Ninth Circuit filings included purportedly fabricated and materially inaccurate legal authorities. The court said unauthorized generative AI use by unlicensed brief writers was probable and found that the attorneys failed to verify the filings and repeatedly lacked candor about the errors' source.
Purportedly AI-Generated 'King Trump' Fighter Jet Video Allegedly Posted by President Depicts Defecation Attack on 'No Kings' Protesters
President Donald Trump reportedly posted an AI-generated video on Truth Social showing himself crowned and piloting a fighter jet labeled King Trump, dropping feces on protesters, including influencer Harry Sisson, during No Kings demonstrations. The clip, allegedly created by another account, drew criticism from Sisson and musician Kenny Loggins, whose song "Danger Zone" was reportedly used without consent.
Purported Deepfake Video Allegedly Shows Conservative MP George Freeman Leaving Party for Reform UK
A purported AI-generated deepfake video circulated online falsely depicting UK Conservative MP George Freeman announcing his defection to the Reform UK party. The fabricated clip, which mimicked Freeman’s likeness and voice without his knowledge or consent, included statements critical of the Conservatives and was widely shared on social media. Freeman denounced the video as disinformation, reported it to police, and warned that such synthetic media pose serious risks to democratic processes.
Purported AI-Generated Deepfake Video Reportedly Depicts Senator Chuck Schumer Endorsing Government Shutdown in NRSC Campaign Ad
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) allegedly released a 30-second campaign ad featuring a purported deepfake video of Senator Chuck Schumer repeatedly saying, "Every day gets better for us," implying enthusiasm for a government shutdown. While the video reportedly was marked as AI-generated, it was widely circulated on social media and drew criticism from journalists and researchers, who warned it could mislead voters and erode trust in authentic political communication.
Purported AI-Generated Video Reportedly Used in RM5,800 (~$1,400) Sextortion Attempt Targeting Malaysian Minor via Telegram
A Malaysian family reported that scammers used purported AI-generated explicit video content to target their teenage son in a sextortion attempt. The perpetrators allegedly contacted the boy via Telegram, sending manipulated footage that depicted him in compromising situations and demanding RM5,800 (~$1,400) to prevent its release. The family alerted authorities and warned others about the growing use of generative AI in targeting minors.
Purported AI-Generated Explicit Deepfakes of Sydney High School Students Reportedly Circulated Online
New South Wales police in Australia launched an investigation after parents reported that purported AI-generated sexually explicit images of female students from a Sydney high school had been created and circulated online. The reported manipulated images, produced without consent using deepfake tools, prompted school involvement and a criminal probe under new state laws banning such content.
Purportedly AI-Generated Hunting Regulation Errors Reportedly Lead to Idaho Citation and Multi-State Warnings from Wildlife Agencies
A hunter in Idaho was reportedly cited for hunting a day early after relying on an AI-generated search result that misrepresented state regulations, pulling information from a failed proposal. Wildlife agencies in Idaho, Wyoming, Illinois, and Maine later warned of similar AI errors.
Multiple Purported AI-Assisted Cheating Incidents Reported Across South Korea's SKY Universities During October 2025 Midterms
Reports from South Korea's SKY universities indicate multiple AI-assisted cheating incidents during the October 2025 midterms. At Yonsei, dozens reportedly used ChatGPT and other tools despite bans in an Oct. 15 online exam. Korea University and Seoul National reportedly found students using AI or sharing answers via group chats, prompting punitive sanctions across the institutions.
ICE Facial Recognition App Mobile Fortify Reportedly Misidentified Woman Twice During Immigration Enforcement in Oregon
During an immigration enforcement operation in Oregon, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers reportedly used the facial recognition application Mobile Fortify to identify a detained woman. The system reportedly returned two different and incorrect identities for the same individual across separate scans.
Reportedly Fatal Xiaomi SU7 Ultra Crash in Chengdu Purportedly Involves Automated Driving Failure and Door Lock Malfunction
A reportedly fatal crash involving a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra electric vehicle in Chengdu, China, occurred after the car's automated driving system and sensor-dependent electronic door handles reportedly failed following a collision. Bystanders were reportedly unable to open the doors as the vehicle caught fire, and the driver died at the scene, prompting scrutiny of automation-linked design risks. Following the incident, Xiaomi's stock reportedly fell more than 5% amid mounting safety concerns.
OpenAI ChatGPT Models Reportedly Jailbroken to Provide Chemical, Biological, and Nuclear Weapons Instructions
An NBC News investigation found that OpenAI's language models o4-mini, GPT-5-mini, oss-20b, and oss-120b could be jailbroken under normal usage conditions to bypass safety guardrails and generate detailed instructions for creating chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. Using a publicly documented jailbreak prompt, reporters repeatedly elicited hazardous outputs such as steps to synthesize pathogens or maximize harm with chemical agents. The findings reportedly revealed significant real-world safeguard failures, prompting OpenAI to commit to further mitigation measures.
Purported Deepfake Explicit Images of Middle School Students Allegedly Created and Circulated Using Mobile App in Goffstown, New Hampshire
In Goffstown, New Hampshire, unnamed eighth-grade boys at Mountain View Middle School allegedly used an AI-enabled app to create and circulate sexualized deepfake images and videos depicting female classmates.