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
Teenager in Palma de Mallorca Allegedly Generated and Distributed Deepfake Nudes of Five Classmates
A teenager in Palma de Mallorca, Spain allegedly generated deepfake nudes of five classmates, reportedly taking their images from social media and using AI to alter them without their consent. He is reported to have shared the altered images with others.
Purportedly AI-Assisted Report by Tromsø Officials Allegedly Cited Non-Existent Sources in School Closure Proposal
In February 2025, Tromsø Municipality reportedly presented a report proposing the closure of schools and kindergartens. Residents reportedly later discovered the report cited numerous non-existent sources. Officials reportedly admitted using generative AI to help draft the report, leading to fabricated references. The incident reportedly led to public outcry and suspension of the closure plan. It is purportedly Norway's first major public-sector AI scandal.
Purported AI-Generated Videos Impersonating President of Malta Myriam Spiteri Debono Circulate on Social Media in Alleged Crypto Scam Campaigns
The Office of the President of Malta issued a public warning about purported deepfake videos and fabricated images impersonating President Myriam Spiteri Debono. The alleged AI-generated content was reportedly used to promote fraudulent financial schemes, primarily involving cryptocurrency, across social media platforms.
Alleged Deepfake Video Falsely Depicts Hollywood Stars in AI-Manipulated Protest Against Kanye West
A deepfake video allegedly depicted Scarlett Johansson, Jerry Seinfeld, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Steven Spielberg, Adam Sandler, Sacha Baron Cohen, Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Lenny Kravitz, Adam Levine, Drake, Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Black, Mila Kunis, Ben Stiller, and Woody Allen protesting Kanye West’s antisemitic remarks. The video falsely attributed statements to them, using AI to manipulate their likenesses without consent.
AI-Generated Voice Purporting to Be Daughter Allegedly Used to Coerce $2,000 from Colorado Mother
In February 2025, a Colorado woman was scammed by a voice-cloning fraud in which criminals used what sounded like her daughter’s voice to stage a fake kidnapping. Under duress and believing her daughter was in danger, she wired $2,000 to Mexico. The scammers exploited generative AI to simulate the daughter’s voice and manipulated the victim psychologically. Law enforcement could not trace the perpetrators or recover the funds.
Michigan Woman Defrauded in Alleged Tinder Romance Scam Using Purportedly AI-Generated Video Calls
A Michigan woman, Beth Hyland, was reportedly defrauded of $26,000 in a romance scam conducted over Tinder, in which the perpetrator, "Richard," used purportedly AI-generated video technology during Skype calls to build trust. The scammer, allegedly part of Nigerian Yahoo Boys networks, reportedly posed as a French construction manager and claimed to need funds for legal and translation services. Hyland reportedly sent funds over several months. She later spoke at a U.S. Senate hearing on dating app fraud.
NHK Terminates AI Translation Service After Geopolitical Naming Error
NHK announced the termination of its AI-powered multilingual subtitle service after an automatic translation error rendered "Senkaku Islands" as "Diaoyu Islands," the Chinese designation. The mistake, discovered on February 10th, 2025 during a news segment, led NHK to deem the service inappropriate. The AI-based subtitles, powered by Google Translate, had been in use since 2020.
Bolivian Criminal Network Allegedly Used Deepfake of Education Minister to Defraud at Least 19 Victims in Employment Scam
A Bolivian criminal network allegedly used AI-generated deepfake audio of Education Minister Omar Véliz Ramos to impersonate him in phone calls, defrauding at least 19 victims in a fake job scheme. Scammers reportedly lured applicants via social media, used cloned voices for credibility, and demanded payment via QR codes. Authorities uncovered the scheme, seizing devices and arresting multiple suspects, including one orchestrating the fraud from prison. Losses reportedly exceed $720,000 USD.
Nottingham Gallery Owner Allegedly Defrauded by Deepfake Impersonating Pierce Brosnan, Reportedly Leading to Business Closure
Nottingham gallery owner Simone Simms was allegedly deceived over many months by a deepfake impersonating actor Pierce Brosnan. Believing she was in direct contact with Brosnan, she reportedly arranged an art exhibition and sold £20,000 in tickets. When the real Brosnan denied involvement, Simms reportedly canceled the event and issued refunds. Despite acting in good faith, she reportedly faced reputational and financial harm, which led to the gallery’s closure in August 2024.
OpenAI's Operator Agent Reportedly Executed Unauthorized $31.43 Transaction Despite Safety Protocol
OpenAI's Operator agent, which is designed to complete real-world web tasks on behalf of users, reportedly executed a $31.43 grocery delivery purchase without user consent. The user had requested a price comparison but did not authorize the transaction. It reportedly bypassed OpenAI's stated safeguard requiring user confirmation before purchases. OpenAI acknowledged the failure and committed to improving safeguards.
Reportedly Viral USAID Disinformation Video Linked to Russian-Aligned Campaign Known as Matryoshka
A video that reportedly went viral on X in early February 2025 claimed USAID paid celebrities to visit Ukraine. The clip mimicked E! News branding and included a narrator with a British accent. Individuals and organizations named denied any involvement. Researchers attributed the video to Matryoshka (AKA Operation Overload and Storm-1679), an influence campaign suspected of using AI-generated narration and editing, though tool use has not been independently confirmed.
Plaintiffs' Lawyers Admit AI Generated Erroneous Case Citations in Federal Court Filing Against Walmart
Lawyers Rudwin Ayala, T. Michael Morgan (Morgan & Morgan), and Taly Goody (Goody Law Group) were fined a total of $5,000 after their Wyoming federal lawsuit filing against Walmart cited fake cases "hallucinated" by AI. Judge Kelly Rankin sanctioned them, removing Ayala from the case and noting attorneys must verify AI sources. The filing, flagged by Walmart’s legal team, led to its withdrawal and an internal review.
Attacker Reportedly Bypasses AI Safety Filters to Obtain Guidance for Non-Fatal Hammer Assault in Denmark
A 22-year-old man in Ringsted, Denmark allegedly used an AI chatbot to research how to injure his former father-in-law "as much as possible" without killing him, reportedly bypassing safety guardrails by posing as an author. He then allegedly attacked the victim on with a rubber hammer, striking him twice in the head. The court reportedly found him guilty of aggravated assault, noting the AI-assisted planning as a central element of the case.
Alleged Deepfake of Whoopi Goldberg Reportedly Used in Fake Weight-Loss Supplement Ads on Instagram
Whoopi Goldberg reportedly warned viewers of The View about a purportedly AI-generated scam using her likeness to promote fraudulent weight-loss products on Instagram. Goldberg reportedly stated that she had no involvement with the ads.
AI-Aided Scam in Thailand Allegedly Impersonates Police to Defraud 163 Victims
Thai police arrested Ramil Pantawong and Thanawut Kanyaphan for allegedly using AI technology to impersonate police officers in a call scam. Based in Poipet, Cambodia, the gang tricked 163 victims, the most prominent of whom was Thai-British beauty queen Charlotte Austin, who lost 4 million baht (approximately $118,000 USD). Victims were falsely told they were under investigation and instructed to transfer money.