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
Purported Deepfake Featuring Dr. Rinki Murphy and Jack Tame Reportedly Used to Promote Diabetes Scam in New Zealand
A purported AI-generated deepfake video reportedly impersonated Auckland University diabetes expert Dr. Rinki Murphy, depicting her in a TVNZ interview with journalist Jack Tame promoting a fake diabetes cure. The alleged scam video circulated on social media in April–June 2025, prompting concern that New Zealanders were deceived into stopping prescribed medications. Despite reporting the incident, new variants of the video reportedly continued to emerge.
Mother in Louisville, Kentucky Describes Phone Scam Involving Purported AI-Generated Voice of Her Daughter
Louisville, Kentucky mother Kim Alvey reportedly received a phone call in which an unknown individual purportedly used AI-generated voice cloning to impersonate her 10-year-old daughter, claiming she had been in an accident. The call escalated with a male voice threatening to kidnap the child. Alvey confirmed her daughter was safe at school and identified the call as a scam.
FBI Reports AI Use by Threat Actors in Broader Cyber Context Including Infrastructure Intrusions
FBI Deputy Assistant Director Cynthia Kaiser stated that adversarial actors, particularly those affiliated with China and organized cybercriminal groups, are increasingly integrating AI tools across the cyberattack lifecycle, with documented use cases reportedly including purported AI-generated spear phishing, business identity fabrication, internal network mapping, and deepfake-enabled fraud. The tools are allegedly already assisting intrusions targeting U.S. infrastructure.
Meta AI App Reportedly Publishes Personal Chats Without Users Fully Realizing
Meta launched a stand-alone AI app with a "Discover" feed allowing users to share conversations with its chatbot. Multiple reports indicate that some users may have inadvertently published highly personal interactions, including audio recordings, medical questions, legal concerns, and intimate relationship disclosures. While Meta states that sharing is opt-in, the feature's design and labeling may have led to user confusion about what would be publicly visible.
Meta AI Reportedly Generated Purportedly False Claims Linking Activist Robby Starbuck to January 6th Riot, Prompting Defamation Lawsuit
Conservative activist Robby Starbuck reportedly filed a defamation lawsuit against Meta, alleging its Meta AI chatbot published false statements claiming he participated in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, was arrested, denied the Holocaust, and was unfit to parent. Filed April 28, 2025, in Delaware Superior Court, the suit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, citing reputational and safety harms. Meta reportedly stated it had updated its AI models to reduce inaccuracies.
Australian Analyst Allegedly Targeted by Scam Using Purportedly Sophisticated AI-Generated Corporate Materials
A report by ABC News Australia describes how scammers allegedly used AI tools to create detailed fake websites for two fabricated companies, APPC Capital Singapore and Thackeray Mines and Minerals Inc., as part of an investment scam. A pseudonymous Australian fraud analyst ("Leon") was reportedly targeted. Experts cited in the article warn that AI lowers the barrier for generating convincing scams that can deceive even experienced analysts.
Meta User-Created AI Companions Allegedly Implicated in Facilitating Sexually Themed Conversations Involving Underage Personas
Third-party testing of Meta's AI chatbot services on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp reportedly found that both official and user-created bots engaged in sexually explicit roleplaying with accounts identifying as minors. Some bots, including those reportedly using licensed celebrity voices, allegedly escalated conversations into graphic scenarios. Meta subsequently adjusted some safeguards but reportedly continued allowing certain forms of roleplaying involving underage personas.
Reddit Moderators Report Unauthorized AI Study Involving Fabricated Identities by Purported University of Zurich Researchers
Researchers purportedly affiliated with the University of Zurich reportedly deployed undisclosed AI-generated comments on Reddit's r/ChangeMyView to study persuasion by allegedly fabricating identities such as sexual assault survivors and racial minorities. The experiment reportedly involved unauthorized demographic profiling, emotional manipulation, and violations of subreddit and platform rules. The researchers allegedly deviated from their approved protocol without renewed ethics oversight.
Fact-Checkers Identify Viral Photo of Burkina Faso's Ibrahim Traoré with 'Wife and Children' as AI-Generated Composite
A manipulated image allegedly showing Burkina Faso junta leader Ibrahim Traoré with a wife and three children circulated widely on social media. Investigations by GhanaFact and others concluded the image was altered using AI tools, merging Traoré's likeness from a 2023 Russia-Africa summit photo with fabricated figures. The harm stems from the spread of false personal information about a political figure, potentially shaping public perception through synthetic, misleading media.
Alleged AI-Generated Photo of Burning Truck in Manila Reportedly Triggered Firefighter Response
Firefighters in Manila reportedly responded to a supposed burning truck after being alerted with a photo later determined to have purportedly been AI-generated. Four fire trucks, including units from the Bureau of Fire Protection, reportedly arrived on the scene but found the vehicle intact. The false alert allegedly wasted emergency resources.
Factum in Ko v. Li Allegedly Contains AI-Generated Case Law Citations
In Ko v. Li, 2025 ONSC 2766, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice identified multiple inaccurate or nonexistent case citations in a factum submitted by counsel for the applicant. Justice FL Myers questioned whether generative AI was used in drafting the document, noting the cited cases were either irrelevant, misrepresented, or did not exist. The court ordered the lawyer to show cause why she should not be cited for contempt, citing duties of accuracy and technological competence.
Brazil's Social Security AI Tool Is Allegedly Rejecting Complex Claims Improperly
Brazil’s AI-powered Meu INSS app allegedly misclassified a retirement claim filed by Josélia de Brito, a former sugarcane worker, by purportedly recording her as male. De Brito reportedly suffers from multiple chronic illnesses and faced repeated denials of social benefits due to minor filing errors. Analysts cited in the reporting suggest the system's design may disadvantage rural and digitally excluded users.
Anthropic Report Details Claude Misuse for Influence Operations, Credential Stuffing, Recruitment Fraud, and Malware Development
In April 2025, Anthropic published a report detailing several misuse cases involving its Claude LLM, all detected in March. These included an "influence-as-a-service" operation that orchestrated over 100 social media bots; an effort to scrape and test leaked credentials for security camera access; a recruitment fraud campaign targeting Eastern Europe; and a novice actor developing sophisticated malware. Anthropic banned the accounts involved but could not confirm downstream deployment.
Purported AI-Generated Deepfake of Steven Bartlett Reportedly Used to Promote Fake WhatsApp Investment Group
A purported deepfake video of entrepreneur and BBC Dragon's Den investor Steven Bartlett circulated on Instagram in April 2025, allegedly claiming to offer exclusive stock tips and inviting users to join a WhatsApp trading group. The reported video referenced U.S. tariff policies to entice viewers with promises of rapid returns. Bartlett's team confirmed the video was fake and worked with platforms to remove it, warning that scammers were attempting to harvest contact details for further fraud.
Scammers Reportedly Use AI Tools to Impersonate Students and Obtain Federal Aid
Between 2021 and 2025, California community colleges faced a surge in fraudulent applications—now estimated at 34% of all submissions. Reports indicate that scammers used generative AI tools, including ChatGPT, to produce identity-verifying responses that enabled them to impersonate students and obtain financial aid. The fraud allegedly resulted in over $13 million in losses over the past year alone, straining administrative and instructional systems and displacing legitimate applicants.