AI Incident Database
Browse AI incidents
Every incident record (metadata only) from the weekly snapshot of 2026-09-07. Filter, then export the selection with its licence attached; each row links to the full record and its reports.
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Never Back Down Super PAC for Ron DeSantis Uses AI Donald Trump Voice in Attack Ad Against Kim Reynolds AIID ↗
A pro-Ron DeSantis super PAC released an ad featuring an AI-generated voice of Donald Trump. The ad, created by Never Back Down, aimed to criticize Trump’s treatment of Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. The AI-generated voice was confirmed to be based on Trump's post from his social media. This incident is an example of potential deception in political advertising through AI-generated content.
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Shein Accused of AI-Driven Art Theft on Merchandise AIID ↗
Artists Krista Perry, Larissa Martinez, and Jay Baron filed a lawsuit against Shein, alleging the company used AI to replicate their art on merchandise. The artists claim Shein's algorithm identifies trending online art, creating near-identical copies for their products without credit or compensation.
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AI-Generated Articles at G/O Media Allegedly Diminishes Reputation of Human Staff AIID ↗
G/O Media began publishing AI-generated articles, against staff advice, that contained errors and quality issues. The first such article, a list of Star Wars movies, failed to maintain chronological order, causing internal concerns over journalistic credibility and ethics. Staff expressed that the AI was "actively hurting our reputations and credibility" and accused management of "wasting everyone's time."
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Harmful Stereotyping of Non-Cisgendered People via Text-to-Image Systems AIID ↗
Text-to-image systems such as DALL-E are allegedly generating biased and often insulting representations of non-cisgender identities. The systems tend to generate stereotypical and sexualized images when prompted with gender identity terms like "trans," "nonbinary," or "queer," highlighting systemic issues of bias.
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Bankrate's Resumption of AI-Generated Content Allegedly Continuing to Produce Inaccurate and Misleading Information AIID ↗
Bankrate, and its sister site CNET, both owned by Red Ventures, resumed publishing AI-generated articles claiming thorough human fact-checking. However, new articles are alleged to contain numerous factual errors, including inaccurate statistics and misleading information. Despite public criticism, the company defended its use of AI and blamed out-of-date datasets for the errors. In addition to the errors, the incident raises questions about the ethical use of AI in journalism, especially given
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Grant Reviewers Reportedly Fed Applications into Generative AI to Produce Reports, Allegedly Breaching Confidentiality AIID ↗
Peer reviewers of Australian government grant applications reportedly inserted applicants' work into generative AI systems such as ChatGPT to generate assessment reports, which allegedly posed confidentiality and security issues.
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Amazon Rife with Many Allegedly AI-Generated Books of Suspect Quality AIID ↗
Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited young adult romance bestseller list was flooded with allegedly AI-generated books that made little to no sense, disrupting the rankings. These books were reported to be "clearly there to click farm." Despite being removed from the bestseller list, many remained available for purchase. The incident raised concerns about the integrity of the platform, and the potential financial impact on legitimate authors.
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Alleged Exploitation of Meta's Open-Source LLaMA Model for NSFW and Violent Content AIID ↗
Meta's open-source large language model, LLaMA, is allegedly being used to create graphic and explicit chatbots that indulge in violent and illegal sexual fantasies. The Washington Post highlighted the example of "Allie," a chatbot that participates in text-based role-playing allegedly involving violent scenarios like rape and abuse. The issue raises ethical questions about open-source AI models, their regulation, and the responsibility of developers and deployers in mitigating harmful usage.
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Google Ads Allegedly Serving Content on AI-Generated Misinformation Sites AIID ↗
Google’s advertising platform, Google Ads, has allegedly been found to be serving ads on AI-generated content farms that often disseminate misinformation. Despite policies prohibiting such practices, reportedly there are approximately 356 out of 393 ads from major brands that were found to be served by Google on these problematic sites. Particularly concerning according to the reporting were instances where Google Ads were found on sites like MedicalOutline.com, which spreads harmful health misi
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Purported Deepfake Image Allegedly Circulating of Donald Trump with Underage Girl at Jeffrey Epstein's Private Island AIID ↗
A purported deepfake image allegedly depicting Donald Trump with an underage girl at Jeffrey Epstein's private island in 1992 has reportedly been circulating on social media.
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Tesla on Autopilot Struck Parked Work Truck on Highway in Pennsylvania AIID ↗
A 2016 Tesla on Autopilot crashed into the rear of a parked 2007 Freightliner truck providing traffic control on the Pennsylvania Turnpike highway.
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Reported Accidental Exposure of 38TB of Data by Microsoft's AI Research Team AIID ↗
Microsoft's AI research team reportedly accidentally exposed 38TB of sensitive data while publishing open-source training material on GitHub. The exposure allegedly included secrets, private keys, passwords, and internal Microsoft Teams messages. The team reportedly utilized Azure's Shared Access Signature (SAS) tokens for sharing, which were purportedly misconfigured, leading to the wide exposure of data.
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Bing Chat Solved CAPTCHAs with Image Analysis Feature Despite Safeguards AIID ↗
Microsoft was reported by a Twitter user for deploying image analysis feature capable of solving CAPTCHAs for its GPT-based chatbot despite it being safeguarded against solving them for users.
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Colorado Lawyer Filed a Motion Citing Hallucinated ChatGPT Cases AIID ↗
A Colorado Springs attorney, Zachariah Crabill, mistakenly used hallucinated ChatGPT-generated legal cases in court documents. The AI software provided false case citations, leading to the denial of a motion and legal repercussions for Crabill, highlighting risks in using AI for legal research.
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Alleged Gender Discrimination in Facebook Job Ads Algorithm AIID ↗
Facebook's ad delivery algorithm allegedly disproportionately showed job advertisements to one gender. Despite claims of non-discrimination, the algorithm's actions seem to perpetuate societal biases, which in turn could potentially limit opportunities for certain groups and hinder gender equity in the workplace.
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Instagram Algorithms Allegedly Promote Accounts Facilitating Child Sex Abuse Content AIID ↗
An investigation disclosed that Instagram's recommendation algorithms are promoting accounts that facilitate and sell child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The study, conducted by The Wall Street Journal and researchers at Stanford University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, indicates that Instagram's algorithms not only allow for the discovery of such accounts through keyword searches but also actively recommend them to users within the network. The issue is especially concerning give
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Ron DeSantis's Presidential Campaign Released Twitter Video Containing AI Images of Donald Trump Hugging Anthony Fauci AIID ↗
Ron DeSantis’s presidential campaign shared a video on Twitter featuring some AI-generated images of Donald Trump hugging former White House coronavirus advisor Anthony Fauci, allegedly as a smear campaign. This incident is possibly the first time a major U.S. presidential campaign deployed deepfakes with the intention of misleading the electorate.
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Former Costa Mesa, California, Police Officer Reportedly Used Flock Safety License-Plate Reader System to Track Woman He Was Seeing and Her Romantic Partners AIID ↗
Orange County prosecutors said Costa Mesa, California, police officer Robert Jay Josett used the department's Flock Safety license-plate reader system between 2023 and 2024 to locate a woman he was seeing and vehicles belonging to her romantic partners, including after he was placed on leave. In 2026, Josett pleaded guilty to misdemeanor unauthorized computer access and fraud, repeated phone calls, and contempt of court.
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Racial Bias in Lung Function Diagnostic Algorithm Leads to Underdiagnosis in Black Men AIID ↗
A study published in JAMA Network Open reveals that racial bias built into a commonly used medical diagnostic algorithm for lung function may be leading to underdiagnoses of breathing problems in Black men. The study suggests that as many as 40% more Black male patients might have been accurately diagnosed if the software were not racially biased. The software algorithm adjusts diagnostic thresholds based on race, affecting medical treatments and interventions.
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AI-Generated Voices Amplify Conspiracy Theories on TikTok AIID ↗
NewsGuard has identified 17 TikTok accounts that have been using AI-generated voices to advance and amplify conspiracy theories and false claims beginning in June 2023. By September 25, 2023, these accounts had amassed over 336 million views and over 14.5 million likes. Videos include baseless claims involving public figures such as Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and Jamie Foxx.
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Chatbot Tessa gives unauthorized diet advice to users seeking help for eating disorders AIID ↗
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) has shut down its chatbot named Tessa after it gave weight-loss advice to users seeking help for eating disorders. The incident has raised concerns about the risks of using chatbots and AI assistants in healthcare settings, particularly in addressing sensitive issues like eating disorders. NEDA is investigating the matter, emphasizing the need for caution and accuracy when utilizing technology to provide mental health support.
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Unrepresented Litigant Misled by ChatGPT-Generated False Legal Citations in Manchester Court AIID ↗
A litigant in person (LiP) in a Manchester civil case presented false legal citations generated by ChatGPT. It fabricated one case name and provided fictitious excerpts for three real cases, misleadingly supporting the LiP's argument. The judge, upon investigation, found the submissions to be inadvertent and did not penalize the LiP.
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Donald Trump's Presidential Campaign Released Deepfakes Attacking Ron DeSantis AIID ↗
Former President Donald Trump released two AI-generated videos using deepfaked voices to mock Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The first video, posted on platforms like Rumble and Instagram, depicted a chaotic and offensive fake Twitter Spaces event featuring deepfaked voices of Elon Musk, George Soros, Klaus Schwab, Dick Cheney, Adolf Hitler, and a generated voice of Satan. The second video showed a rocket with "Ron 2024" written beside it falling and exploding before liftoff.
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Opera's GPT-Based AI Reportedly Accused War Photographers of War Crimes AIID ↗
When prompted about "photographers accused of committing war crimes," Opera's GPT-based chatbot Aria provided a list of photographers who take photography of military conflicts.
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Apparent Failure to Accurately Label Primates in Image Recognition Software Due to Alleged Fear of Racial Bias AIID ↗
Eight years after Google Photos mislabeled images of Black individuals as "gorillas," image recognition software by Google, Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft still shows signs of either avoiding or inaccurately categorizing primates. Tests reveal that Google and Apple Photos refrain from labeling primates altogether, possibly to avoid the risk of perpetuating racial stereotypes. Microsoft OneDrive fails to identify any animals, while Amazon Photos overgeneralizes in its labeling.
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FTC Targets Edmodo for Unlawful Use of Children’s Data and Delegating Compliance to Schools AIID ↗
Edmodo, an education technology provider, violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act Rule (COPPA Rule) by collecting and using children's personal data for advertising purposes without parental consent, according to the FTC. The company outsourced its compliance responsibilities to schools, thereby making them "solely" responsible for COPPA compliance without adequate disclosure. Edmodo is facing a proposed order prohibiting such practices, marking a precedent in the ed tech industry.
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Purported AI-Generated Image of Explosion Near Pentagon Reportedly Triggers Brief Market Dip and Public Confusion AIID ↗
A Twitter/X account allegedly impersonating Bloomberg reportedly posted an image falsely showing an explosion near the Pentagon. Analysts reportedly described the image as likely AI-generated. The post reportedly spread through major accounts before officials confirmed no incident occurred. Markets reportedly dipped during the short period when the hoax circulated.
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Google Results for Johannes Vermeer Featured AI Version of His Artwork as Top Result AIID ↗
Google's search engine featured an AI-generated hyperrealistic version of the painting "Girl With a Pearl Earring" as the highlighted result when users search for its Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer.
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AI-Enabled TruDi Navigation System Was Alleged to Have Contributed to Patient's Stroke During May 2023 Sinuplasty AIID ↗
Patient Donna Fernihough allegedly suffered carotid-artery damage and a same-day stroke during a May 19, 2023 balloon sinuplasty in Texas in which surgeon Marc Dean reportedly used Acclarent's AI-enabled TruDi Navigation System. Her lawsuit alleged the system's AI-assisted navigation contributed to unsafe guidance during the procedure; Acclarent and Integra LifeSciences, which later acquired Acclarent, denied evidence linking TruDi's AI to the injuries.
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Illinois Residents File Class Action Lawsuit Against Facial Recognition Technology Companies for Allegedly Violating BIPA AIID ↗
A class action lawsuit was filed against several facial recognition technology companies for allegedly violating the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). The defendants are accused of offering a facial recognition search engine called Pimeyes, which collects images from databases across the internet and scans them into their database seemingly without consent. This action is claimed to invade the privacy of millions of Americans. The lawsuit argues that Pimeyes lacks publicly avail
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Tesla Failed to Yield to Detected Pedestrian on Crosswalk, Reportedly Violated Traffic Law AIID ↗
A Tesla on FSD Beta 11.4.1 was shown on video not yielding to a pedestrian detected by the car, reportedly violating the state law sign which was also in the video saying vehicles having to yield to pedestrian within crosswalk.
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Texas A&M-Commerce Professor Reportedly Used ChatGPT to Accuse Students of Cheating and Assign Incomplete Grades AIID ↗
On May 15, 2023, Texas A&M University-Commerce instructor Jared Mumm reportedly emailed animal-science seniors that he had copied their final assignments into ChatGPT and would assign zeros or temporary incompletes when the chatbot claimed the text was AI-generated. Students said the accusations caused panic and put graduation or diplomas at risk; the university later said no students failed or were barred from graduating because of the issue.
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Australian Terrorism Prediction Tool Reportedly Disparately Impacts Persons with Autism AIID ↗
An independent report found that the Vera-2R tool, designed to predict the risk of future terrorist activities, considered autism as a risk factor despite lacking empirical evidence to support this claim. The report called into question the tool's overall validity and reliability, stating it was "extremely poor" at accurately predicting risk. The inclusion of autism as a risk factor had potentially serious implications for the tool's use and credibility.
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Alleged Use of Purportedly AI-Generated and Manipulated Media to Misrepresent Candidates and Disrupt Turkey's 2023 Presidential Election AIID ↗
During Turkey's 2023 presidential election, reportedly manipulated and allegedly AI-generated videos, audio, and images were used to smear candidates, purportedly link opposition figures to terrorist groups, and circulate a purported sex tape that reportedly contributed to presidential candidate Muharrem İnce’s withdrawal. These incidents reportedly misled voters, disrupted campaigning, and altered the electoral field.
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ChatGPT Reportedly Produced False Court Case Law Presented by Legal Counsel in Court AIID ↗
A lawyer in Mata v. Avianca, Inc. used ChatGPT for research. ChatGPT hallucinated court cases, which the lawyer then presented in court. The court determined the cases did not exist.
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Google's Overview Panel for Artist Edward Hopper Featured Image Generated in His Style by AI AIID ↗
Google's knowledge panel for the American artist Edward Hopper featured an AI-generated image which was purportedly created in the artist's style but was not one of his works, the image of which was removed soon after.
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Iranian Hacker Group Cotton Sandstorm Reportedly Integrating AI into Cyber Influence Operations AIID ↗
The Iranian state-sponsored group Cotton Sandstorm, linked to the IRGC, has integrated generative AI into cyber influence operations. In December 2023, it launched Operation “For Humanity," using AI-crafted messaging to hijack a U.S.-based IPTV streaming service with propaganda about the Israel-Hamas conflict. The group also engages in election-related reconnaissance, which suggests they used AI-enhanced influence efforts ahead of the 2024 U.S. election.
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Proliferation of AI-Generated News Websites and Content Farms Across Multiple Languages Degrading Information Integrity AIID ↗
Scores of AI-generated news websites and content farms are producing low-quality, clickbait content in a variety of languages. They are reportedly spreading false information and degrading the quality of information available online. These sites often lack human oversight, feature repetitive language, and sometimes fabricate information, posing a threat to the credibility of online news sources.
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Purported Republican AI Ad Reportedly Depicts Dystopian Future After Biden Reelection Announcement AIID ↗
After Joe Biden announced his 2024 reelection bid, the Republican National Committee reportedly released an attack ad that included purportedly AI-generated images portraying a dystopian future for the United States. Even with a brief disclaimer, the ad's fabricated scenes purportedly introduced false information into the political environment and created a misleading visual frame around an active electoral process.
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Novel Deepfake Song Pulled from Music Streaming Services After Allegedly Violating Artist's Rights AIID ↗
The deepfake performance of "Heart On My Sleeve" created to mimic the voice and musical styles of Drake and The Weeknd is no longer available on several streaming services after their record label served copyright takedown notices to the platforms.
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Purported AI-Generated Audio Disinformation Reportedly Attributed to U.S. Ambassador John Godfrey Circulates in Sudan AIID ↗
In April 2023, a reportedly fake audio message impersonating U.S. Ambassador to Sudan John Godfrey circulated on Sudanese social media. Reportedly produced using AI voice-cloning tools, the message portrayed the ambassador outlining strategies to impose secularism through U.S. support. Researchers attribute the clip to Islamist-linked networks seeking to undermine Western and civilian influence during the ongoing civil conflict. The message was quickly identified as inauthentic.
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Chinese Businessman Reportedly Defrauded of 4.3 Million Yuan by AI-Generated Deepfake Impersonating Friend AIID ↗
A scammer in China used AI-generated deepfake technology to impersonate a businessman’s trusted friend in a video call, convincing him to transfer 4.3 million yuan ($612,000). The fraudster mimicked the friend’s face and voice, claiming another associate needed funds for a business transaction. Without verifying the transfer, the victim sent the money. He later realized the deception and contacted police, who managed to recover 3.4 million yuan.
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Quebec Man Sentenced for Having Used Deepfake Technology to Create Synthetic Child Pornography AIID ↗
A Quebec man was sentenced to over three years in prison for using AI deepfake technology to produce synthetic child pornography. He created videos by superimposing children's faces onto other bodies, adding to the challenge of policing digital sexual exploitation. This case marks a disturbing use of AI in criminal activities, raising concerns about digital safety and the vulnerability of children's images online.
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Amazon Algorithmic Pricing Allegedly Hiked up Price of Reference Book to Millions AIID ↗
Amazon's pricing algorithm was implicated in a reference book about flies' unusual high price of millions of dollars, allegedly due to two sellers using the paid service which based their product's pricing on one another's as competitors.
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South Korean man used AI to create sexual images of children AIID ↗
A South Korean man used AI technology to generate 360 images of a sexual nature depicting children in April of 2023. The police confiscated the images and the courts sentenced the man to two and a half years in prison. The case marked the first of its nature in the South Korean court system.
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FBI Reported Surge of Extortion Cases of AI Media Featuring Sexual Explicit Activities AIID ↗
The FBI reported an increase in sextortion cases featuring the use of fake, including AI-generated, images or videos created from content posted on their social media sites or web postings, provided to the malicious actor upon request, or captured during video chats.
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ChatGPT Reportedly Banned by Italian Authority Due to OpenAI's Purported Lack of Legal Basis for Data Collection and Age Verification AIID ↗
Italy's data protection authority is reported to have temporarily limited OpenAI's processing of Italian users' data after alleging that ChatGPT lacked adequate notice and legal basis for large-scale personal data collection and processing used to train the system. The authority also cited a March 2023 data breach, possible processing of inaccurate personal data, and the absence of age-verification safeguards for children.
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ChatGPT Allegedly Produced False Accusation of Sexual Harassment AIID ↗
A lawyer in California asked the AI chatbot ChatGPT to generate a list of legal scholars who had sexually harassed someone. The chatbot produced a false story of Professor Jonathan Turley sexually harassing a student on a class trip.
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Man Reportedly Committed Suicide Following Conversation with Chai Chatbot AIID ↗
A Belgian man reportedly committed suicide following a conversation with Eliza, a language model developed by Chai that encouraged the man to commit suicide to improve the health of the planet.
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Viral Image of Pope Francis in a Puffer Jacket Revealed to Be AI-Generated AIID ↗
A viral image of Pope Francis wearing a white puffer jacket was a deepfake produced by the photorealistic-image-generator Midjourney.
Informational only, not legal advice. Verify every claim against the linked official sources and consult qualified counsel before acting.