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
Music Producer Michael Smith Reportedly Arrested for Allegedly Using AI-Generated Songs in $10 Million Streaming Scam
Music producer Michael Smith was reportedly arrested for allegedly using AI-generated songs and fake streaming accounts to scam over $10 million in royalties from major music platforms. By purportedly creating hundreds of thousands of songs and employing bots to artificially inflate streams, Smith reportedly circumvented fraud detection systems. The scheme was reportedly exposed after suspicions arose regarding the rapid generation of music and streaming anomalies.
Video with Reportedly AI-Generated Media Purported to Show Croatian Neurosurgeon Josip Paladino Endorsing Steplex in Fake TV Segment on Facebook
A Facebook page reportedly posted a video styled as a TV news segment that purported to show Croatian neurosurgeon Josip Paladino endorsing a pain-treatment product called Steplex after an on-air assault. The clip was reported to use AI-generated or manipulated media built from older footage, and the ad linked users to a page mimicking Croatia's Ministry of Health while soliciting purchases and contact data.
Clearview AI Reportedly Faces $33.7 Million Fine for Violating GDPR with Biometric Data Harvesting
Clearview AI was reportedly fined $33.7 million by the Dutch data protection authority for allegedly creating an illegal facial recognition database by scraping billions of images from the Internet without consent. The company allegedly used AI to convert these images into biometric data and sold the service to law enforcement. This act was reportedly in violation of privacy laws and the GDPR.
53% of American and British Businesses Report Attacks by AI-Powered Deepfake Scams in 2024
According to Medius, Deepfake scams have targeted 53% of businesses in the U.S. and U.K., with 43% falling victim. Using AI to create realistic fake videos and audio of corporate executives, scammers have successfully stolen millions, including $25 million from British engineering group Arup.
Elon Musk Reportedly Shared an AI-Generated Image Depicting Kamala Harris Dressed as a Communist Ruler
Elon Musk reportedly shared an AI-generated image on X depicting Kamala Harris as a "communist dictator" in response to her post about Donald Trump's political intentions.
Bias in AI Deepfake Detection Undermines Election Security in Global South
AI deepfake detection tools are reportedly failing voters in the Global South due to biases in their training data. These tools, which prioritize English language and Western faces, show reduced accuracy when detecting manipulated content from non-Western regions. As a result of this detection gap, election integrity faces threats from and the amplification of misinformation, which leaves journalists and researchers with inadequate resources to combat the issue.
Russian Disinformation Campaign Allegedly Used Fake News Site 'KBSF-San Francisco News' and Deepfake Video to Falsely Accuse Kamala Harris of 2011 Hit-and-Run
A Russian disinformation campaign allegedly used a fake news site, "KBSF-San Francisco News," and an AI-generated deepfake video to falsely accuse Kamala Harris of a 2011 hit-and-run accident in San Francisco. The deepfake featured a fabricated African-American victim, whose AI-generated testimony spread widely across social media. Microsoft identified the hoax as part of Russian cyber influence operations targeting the 2024 U.S. election, with the site registered in Iceland.
AkiraBot Reportedly Used OpenAI to Spam Website Chats and Contact Forms at Scale
SentinelLabs reported that unknown operators used AkiraBot, a Python framework, plus OpenAI's chat API to generate customized SEO spam and bypass CAPTCHAs, posting via SMB websites' contact forms and Reamaze-style chat widgets. Researchers assessed >400k domains were targeted and ≥80k successfully spammed since 09/01/2024. OpenAI said the API key was disabled after disclosure.
Purportedly AI-Manipulated Video Reportedly Misrepresented Bulgarian DPS Figure Ahmed Dogan and Spread via TikTok and Facebook
A reportedly AI-manipulated video appeared to repurpose footage of Ahmed Dogan, honorary chairman of Bulgaria's Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), by overlaying synthetic audio that made him seem to urge party members to protest in defense of his wealth. The clip reportedly originated from a satirical TikTok account and was later circulated on Facebook by anonymous profiles.
National Company Law Tribunal Reportedly Relied on AI-Hallucinated Precedents in Pooja Ramesh Singh v. Jammu and Kashmir Bank Ltd
In Pooja Ramesh Singh v. Jammu and Kashmir Bank Ltd., India's National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) reportedly admitted insolvency proceedings against Essel Infraprojects after relying on six purported precedents later found to be fabricated or materially inaccurate. The appellate tribunal upheld the ruling, but the Supreme Court later invalidated both decisions and sent the insolvency petition back to the NCLT for a new ruling.
South Korea Reportedly Experienced a Surge of Explicit Deepfake Pornography
At the end of August 2024, South Korean authorities reportedly began investigating a significant surge in the creation and dissemination, often via Telegram, of explicit deepfake pornography created without consent from the stolen social media content of female classmates, teachers, and neighbors.
Video with Reportedly AI-Generated Media Purported to Show Croatian Immunologist Stipan Jonjić Promoting Anti-Parasite Product on Facebook
A Facebook page reportedly posted a video that purported to show Croatian immunologist Stipan Jonjić endorsing an anti-parasite product and recommending it over conventional treatment. The clip was reported to use AI-generated or manipulated media, and Jonjić denied involvement. A woman was reported to have purchased the product after seeing the ad.
Florida Police Reportedly Wrongfully Arrested Commercial Crabber Robert Dillon After Allegedly False Facial Recognition Match
Florida police reportedly arrested commercial crabber Robert Dillon in August 2024 after the statewide FACES facial recognition system purportedly identified him as a possible match to a suspect shown in grainy surveillance images from Jacksonville Beach. Dillon reportedly lived more than 300 miles away and said he had never visited the city. He reportedly spent a night in jail and posted bond using his truck title.
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Soldier Faces Allegations of Using AI to Generate Child Pornography
Seth Herrera, a U.S. Army soldier at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), is accused of using artificial intelligence to generate pornography depicting minors with whom he was in contact.
Generative AI Allegedly Used to Facilitate $255,000 Real Estate Fraud Scheme
A real estate scam is reported to have used AI-generated phishing emails to impersonate a title company lawyer, tricking homebuyer Raegan Bartlo into wiring $255,000 to a fraudulent account. The emails were alleged to be convincing, with no grammatical errors or tone issues. Bartlo recovered part of the funds but lost $112,000.