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
Sustained AI-Driven Russian Disinformation Campaigns Doppelgänger, Storm-1516, and Matryoshka Reportedly Disrupting German Federal Elections
Leading up to Germany’s February 23, 2025, federal election, the alleged Russian Doppelgänger, Storm-1516, and Matryoshka (Operation Overload) disinformation campaigns have reportedly been deploying AI-generated deepfake videos and fake news sites to spread false claims about German politicians and public figures. AI-powered bots have allegedly been amplifying the content across social media. Researchers suggest the campaign sought to erode trust in Germany’s democratic process. Germany's domestic intelligence agency (BfV) described the scale as unprecedented.
Purported Deepfake Nude Images of Students Circulated Without Consent at Valencia Educational Institute
Purported deepfake nude images of female students were circulated without consent at an educational institute in Valencia, Spain. At least 16 minors reported that original photographs had been digitally manipulated so they appeared completely naked, with some images shared via social media accounts created in victims' names. The alleged creation and distribution of the images is being examined under Spanish laws related to the protection of minors.
Ohio Man Pleaded Guilty after Prosecutors Alleged He Used AI to Create and Distribute Nonconsensual Intimate-Image Forgeries Including CSAM in Harassment Campaign
An Ohio man, James Strahler II, pleaded guilty in federal court after prosecutors alleged that, from late 2024 into mid-2025, he used AI tools to create and distribute nonconsensual intimate-image forgeries as part of a broader harassment campaign targeting at least six adult women. Authorities said the conduct also involved additional CSAM material. The Department of Justice said it believes this was the first U.S. conviction under the Take It Down Act.
Names Linked to Defamation Lawsuits Reportedly Spur Filtering Errors in ChatGPT's Name Recognition
ChatGPT has reportedly been experiencing errors and service disruptions caused by hard-coded filters designed to prevent it from producing potentially harmful or defamatory content about certain individuals by blocking prompts containing specific names, likely related to post-training interventions. The reported names are Brian Hood, Jonathan Turley, Jonathan Zittrain, David Faber, David Mayer, and Guido Scorza.
ISWAP Reportedly Used AI Guidance to Breach Nigerian Military Base Defenses by Motorcycle
After defensive trenches stopped an ISWAP motorcycle assault on a Nigerian military base, commanders reportedly consulted an AI chatbot for guidance on adapting motorcycle-jumping techniques to cross them. Fighters practiced the maneuver, with 18 reportedly dying during training; eight mastered it, and a subsequent assault reportedly cleared the trenches.
Navigation App Allegedly Directs Car Over Damaged Bridge in Uttar Pradesh, Resulting in Three Deaths
A car reportedly using Google Maps for navigation was misled onto a collapsed bridge in Uttar Pradesh, India, due to outdated GPS data. The car plunged into the river below, resulting in three fatalities.
Deepfake Videos Allegedly Used to Defraud Canadian Immigrants Out of Thousands of Dollars
Deepfake videos allegedly impersonated Toronto immigration lawyer Max Chaudhary, targeting Canadian immigrants via WhatsApp. The videos, appearing personal and realistic, requested thousands of dollars for legal services never rendered. Exploiting confusion caused by changing immigration rules, the scam reportedly aimed to defraud vulnerable individuals during a time of desperation and uncertainty.
Florida Woman Reportedly Jailed After Ex-Boyfriend Allegedly Submitted AI-Fabricated Text Screenshot as Bond-Violation Evidence
A Florida nurse, Melissa Sims, was reportedly jailed for two days for purportedly violating a bond/no-contact order. Reportedly, her ex-boyfriend produced purportedly AI-generated text messages or a "text receipt" attributed to her.
Yahoo Boys and Scammers from Morocco Allegedly Target U.S. Widows and Vulnerable Individuals with 'Artificial Patriot' Scams
Yahoo Boys (from Nigeria and Ghana) and scammers from Morocco are reportedly targeting U.S. widows and vulnerable individuals using AI-generated images and fake military profiles in "Artificial Patriot" scams. They have allegedly impersonated military officials such as General Matthew W. McFarlane to gain trust, sharing fabricated backstories and emotional appeals. Once trust is established, they request money through untraceable methods.
Purported AI-Generated Video Depicts Trump Urging Release of Nigerian Separatist Leader Nnamdi Kanu
A reportedly AI-manipulated video circulated on social media that falsely portrayed U.S. President-elect Donald Trump calling for the release of Nigerian separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu and threatening sanctions against Nigeria. The video allegedly used old footage paired with AI-generated audio mimicking Trump's voice. Fact-checkers identified the video as inauthentic, noting mismatched lip-sync, fabricated quotes, and the fictitious date of "November 31st."
Generative AI Plagiarism Incident at Hingham High School Reportedly Tied to Inaccurate Citation Outputs from Grammarly AI
In December 2023, two Hingham High School students ("RNH" and unnamed) reportedly used Grammarly to create a script for an AP U.S. History project. The AI-generated text included fabricated citations to nonexistent books, which the student copied and pasted without verification or acknowledgment of AI use. This violated the school's academic integrity policies, leading to disciplinary action. RNH's parents later sued the school district, but a federal court ruled in favor of the school.
Corinth School District Educator in Mississippi Allegedly Used AI to Generate CSAM of Students
An educator in the Corinth School District of Mississippi, Wilson Jones, was arrested for allegedly using AI to generate child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of students. A complaint was filed with the police on January 29th, 2025, and a search warrant was executed on March 3rd, 2025. The FBI allege that the crime was committed sometime on or before November 19th, 2024.
Alleged AI-Generated Scam Uses Bank of Cyprus Branding to Solicit Investments
An alleged fraudulent online platform presented as the "Bank of Cyprus Trading AI Platform" was promoted using reportedly fabricated media, including a video that appeared to depict the Bank's CEO endorsing the service. The video reportedly used misleading branding, including the BBC logo, and promised unrealistic investment returns. The Bank of Cyprus publicly denied any affiliation and warned customers about the use of AI-generated content in the scam.
Students of Richland School District in Cambria County, Pennsylvania Allegedly Used AI to Generate Obscene Images of Other Students
The Richland School District (Cambria County, Pennsylvania) released a statement on November 19, 2024 announcing an investigation into "some secondary students" who are alleged to have used AI to "create and electronically distribute obscene images of Richland students." The school administrators became aware of the incident on November 14, 2024.
Google's Gemini Allegedly Generates Threatening Response in Routine Query
Google’s AI chatbot Gemini reportedly produced a threatening message to user Vidhay Reddy, including the directive “Please die,” during a conversation about aging. The output violated Google’s safety guidelines, which are designed to prevent harmful language.