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
Megalopolis Trailer Included Fake AI-Generated Quotes Attributed to Film Critics
Lionsgate pulled the trailer for "Megalopolis" after it was discovered to contain fake quotes from well-known film critics, generated by AI. The quotes falsely criticized Francis Ford Coppola's previous films. The incident was attributed to an error in vetting by marketing consultant Eddie Egan. Lionsgate has since parted ways with Egan and apologized to Coppola and the critics affected by the fabricated content.
Chatbot in Workplace Training at Bunbury Prison Reveals Real Names in Sexual Harassment Case
During workplace training at Bunbury Prison in Western Australia, a trainer used Microsoft's Copilot AI chatbot to generate case study scenarios. The chatbot produced a scenario that included the real name of a former employee involved in a sexual harassment case, revealing sensitive information.
Trump Reportedly Shares Purportedly AI-Generated Images Falsely Suggesting Taylor Swift Endorsement
Donald Trump reportedly shared images that were purportedly generated by AI on social media that are alleged to have depicted Taylor Swift endorsing him for the upcoming election. The images reportedly included Swift dressed as Uncle Sam and fans wearing "Swifties for Trump" shirts.
AI Image of Kamala Harris at DNC with Communist Flags Circulated by Trump
Donald Trump shared an AI-generated image on social media that falsely depicted Kamala Harris speaking at a DNC event surrounded by communist imagery including the hammer and sickle of the Soviet Union. The image was intended to undermine Harris ahead of the Democratic National Convention and to suggest that her views are aligned with communism.
Microsoft Copilot Falsely Accuses Journalist Martin Bernklau of Crimes
Microsoft's Copilot is reported to have falsely accused veteran court reporter Martin Bernklau of committing serious crimes, including child abuse and fraud. The tool is described as having generated defamatory content that not only accused Bernklau of multiple crimes he covered as a journalist but also provided his personal contact details. Attempts by Microsoft to remove the false entries were only temporarily successful, as the defamatory information reportedly reappeared.
San Francisco City Attorney Sues Operators of AI Deepfake Pornography Websites for Violations of State and Federal Law
In August 2024, the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office filed a first-of-its-kind lawsuit against 16 websites accused of using generative AI to create and distribute nonconsensual pornographic deepfakes, including images of minors. The sites, which had over 200 million visits in six months, invited users to upload real images to generate explicit fakes. By March 2025, 11 of the targeted websites had shut down following legal pressure.
ChatGPT Allegedly Defamed Norwegian User by Inventing Child Homicide and Imprisonment
In August 2024, ChatGPT is reported to have falsely claimed that Norwegian citizen Arve Hjalmar Holmen had killed his two sons and been sentenced to 21 years in prison. The fabricated response allegedly included specific details about the supposed crime, despite Holmen never being accused or convicted of any offense. The incident prompted a GDPR complaint for defamation and inaccurate personal data.
Grok AI Reportedly Generates Offensive and Violent Images Without Proper Safeguards
Elon Musk’s Grok AI, launched on X, generated offensive and violent images without adequate safety controls. The AI produced deepfakes of public figures like Taylor Swift, Kamala Harris, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as well as copyrighted characters such as Mickey Mouse in inappropriate scenarios. Despite claiming adherence to certain content guidelines, Grok's outputs included politically charged and explicit imagery
Deepfake Elon Musk Videos Have Reportedly Contributed to Billions in Fraud
Scammers used AI to create deepfake videos of Elon Musk promoting fraudulent investment opportunities. Over time, these scams have reportedly led to billions in investor losses. The deepfakes also use voice cloning technology. They have been distributed on social media and YouTube. In particular, they target the elderly, such as 82-year-old Steve Beauchamp, to invest significant sums. Despite efforts by platforms to remove these videos, the scams continue to proliferate.
Grok AI Chatbot Reportedly Spreads Unfounded Rumors About Trump’s Dentures
Grok, X’s AI-powered chatbot, reportedly spread unsubstantiated claims about former President Trump’s alleged dentures during his interview with Elon Musk. The AI-generated summary is alleged to have falsely stated that Trump’s speech issues were due to missing dentures, despite no evidence. The post was quickly removed, but the incident is an example of concerns over Grok's tendency to amplify misinformation.
Reported Glitch in Waymo Self-Driving Cars Purportedly Triggers Regular All-Night Honking in San Francisco
Waymo self-driving cars in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood reportedly began honking at each other late at night, disturbing residents' sleep. The autonomous vehicles, reportedly using a parking lot for ride pauses, triggered honking due to a purported glitch in their algorithms. Despite residents' complaints, the issue allegedly persisted for weeks until Waymo acknowledged the problem and began working on a fix.
TikTok AI System Used to Amplify Election Disinformation by Foreign Networks
AI-generated misinformation on TikTok, driven by foreign networks, has flooded the platform with false narratives about the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Thousands of videos spreading political lies were identified, potentially influencing millions of users. Despite TikTok’s efforts to remove these accounts, the AI-driven disinformation campaign continues to challenge the integrity of the election.
Purportedly AI-Manipulated Synthetic Media Allegedly Fuels False Reports of Natural Disasters and Accidents in China
In China, purported AI tools were reportedly used to fabricate and disseminate false reports of disasters, including a landslide in Yunnan, an earthquake in Sichuan, and a sudden death after a traffic incident. On May 27, 2024, a real 5.0-magnitude earthquake occurred in Muli County, Sichuan, with no casualties and limited property damage. However, a social media post later falsely claimed the epicenter was in Xide County and exaggerated the event's severity, adding fabricated images of extensive destruction. The deployers of these false reports have since received administrative penalties from Chinese authorities for their actions.
Apple Intelligence Allegedly Flags Scam Messages as High Priority
Apple’s AI notification summarization and prioritization feature, part of the Apple Intelligence update, has reportedly flagged scam and phishing messages as high-priority, and is allegedly misleading users into trusting fraudulent communications. By rephrasing and condensing messages, the system is allegedly amplifying scam risks inadvertently and reportedly increasing the likelihood of financial harm for users.
Reported AI-Manipulated Video Depicts Donald Trump Endorsing Peter Obi and Criticizing Bola Tinubu
A widely circulated video reportedly falsely depicts Donald Trump endorsing Nigerian politician Peter Obi and criticizing President Bola Tinubu. FactCheckAfrica confirmed the video was false, originally sourced from a 2017 U.S. presidential interview about Trump's first 100 days in office. AI-generated audio and altered visuals were reportedly used to fabricate a politically charged statement unrelated to the original content.