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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Kremlin-Linked Entities Allegedly Using Generative AI to Spread Russian Disinformation in Latin America AIID ↗
Moscow-based tech firms and an industry association with links to the Kremlin are allegedly using generative AI to spread Russian disinformation in countries throughout Central America and South America. According to the U.S. Department of State, the Russian companies rely on local writers to compose stories which are then amplified across social media using artificial intelligence chatbots.
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Deepfake Video Reportedly Depicts Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema Withdrawing from 2026 Election AIID ↗
A viral video circulating on social media in October 2023 falsely claimed that Zambian president Hakainde Hichilema announced he would not run in the 2026 elections. Fact-checkers and digital forensics experts confirmed the video was manipulated using basic AI tools. The footage originated from a TikTok account known for AI-generated content.
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Deepfake Recordings Allegedly Influence Slovakian Election AIID ↗
Days before Slovakia's election, deepfake audio recordings surfaced, allegedly featuring conversations between a journalist and a leading liberal politician discussing vote-rigging and other controversial topics. The recordings were spread on social media platforms and may have influenced the election outcome, which saw the pro-Russian populist party winning.
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Russia Reportedly Using Artificial Intelligence in Disinformation Campaigns to Erode Western Support for Ukraine AIID ↗
The Russian government has been stepping up its foreign influence campaigns by using artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to spread disinformation and sow distrust in policies supportive of Ukraine. Part of the strategy includes carrying out influence laundering operations by disseminating their messages to the American public via allies inside nominally independent organizations, according to a recent declassified analysis.
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Campaign Featuring Purported AI-Generated Audio Attributed to Omar al-Bashir Spreads During Sudanese Conflict AIID ↗
Beginning in late August 2023, a TikTok channel called The Voice of Sudan circulated purported AI-generated audio claiming to be leaked recordings of former Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir. Experts identified several recordings as voice-cloned fabrications, derived from unrelated broadcasts by a political commentator. The campaign emerged during Sudan's civil war and appeared designed to influence political perceptions. TikTok later removed the account for violating synthetic media policies.
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AI-Generated Imagery and Multilingual Disinformation in Chinese Campaign Regarding Maui Wildfires AIID ↗
In a disinformation campaign concerning wildfires across Maui, Chinese operatives utilized AI-generated imagery to enhance the credibility of false narratives. These narratives claimed that the wildfires were the result of a secret "weather weapon" being tested by the United States. Researchers from Microsoft and other organizations identified these AI-generated images as a significant new tactic in influence operations.
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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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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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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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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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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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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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Deepfake Video Targets Paul Vallas on Eve of Chicago Mayoral Election AIID ↗
On the eve of Chicago's mayoral election, a deepfake video impersonating candidate Paul Vallas was posted to Twitter, showing a fake audio of him making inflammatory statements. The video was viewed thousands of times before being taken down. The Vallas campaign condemned the video, calling it a deceptive impersonation.
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A Purported Deepfake of Senator Elizabeth Warren Circulates Allegedly Saying Republicans Should Not Vote AIID ↗
In February 2023, a purported deepfake of Senator Elizabeth Warren circulated on social media in which allegedly doctored footage of her from an MSNBC interview had her claiming that she believes Republicans should not vote.
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Deepfake Video Featured Fictitious News Anchors Discussing Venezuela's Economy AIID ↗
Video featuring fictitious news anchors was created using Synthesia to allegedly spread disinformation about Venezuela's economy on social media and Venezuelan state-run broadcast.
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Instagram Video Featured Deepfake Audio of US President Making Transphobic Remarks AIID ↗
A deepfaked audio of US President Joe Biden making transphobic remarks played on top of a video showing him giving a speech was released on Instagram and circulated on social media.
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Purported Synthesia Avatars Used in Alleged Pro-Junta Deepfake Video Supporting Ibrahim Traoré in Burkina Faso AIID ↗
In January 2023, purportedly AI-generated videos reportedly began circulating on WhatsApp and social media showing avatars of apparent American pan-Africanists expressing support for Burkina Faso's military junta. The videos were reportedly created using the Synthesia platform. Synthesia later confirmed the videos violated its terms of service and banned the user. The source of the videos remains unidentified.
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AI Video-Making Tool Abused to Deploy Pro-China News on Social Media AIID ↗
Synthesia's AI-generated video-making tool was reportedly used by Spamouflage to disseminate pro-China propaganda news on social media using videos featuring highly realistic fictitious news anchors.
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Chinese Accounts Spammed Twitter Feed Allegedly to Obscure News of Protests AIID ↗
Twitter Feed was flooded by content from Chinese-language accounts which allegedly aimed to manipulate and reduce social media coverage about widespread protests against coronavirus restrictions in China.
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Weibo Model Had Difficulty Detecting Shifts in Censored Speech AIID ↗
Weibo's user moderation model is having difficulty keeping up with shifting user slang in defiance of Chinese state censors.
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Deepfake Video of Ukrainian President Yielding to Russia Posted on Ukrainian Websites and Social Media AIID ↗
A quickly-debunked deepfaked video of the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was posted on various Ukrainian websites and social media platforms encouraging Ukrainians to surrender to Russian forces during the Russia-Ukraine war.
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AI-Generated Profiles Used in Disinformation Campaign Targeting Ukrainians AIID ↗
According to security reports by Meta, fictitious personas with GAN-generated profile pictures were used by people operating in Russia and Ukraine to push a disinformation campaign targeting Ukrainian social media users, and were taken down.
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'Pravda' Network, Successor to 'Portal Kombat,' Allegedly Seeding AI Models with Kremlin Disinformation AIID ↗
A purported Moscow-based disinformation network, Pravda, allegedly infiltrated AI models by flooding the internet with pro-Kremlin falsehoods. A NewsGuard audit found that 10 major AI chatbots repeated these narratives 33% of the time, citing Pravda sources as legitimate. The tactic, called "LLM grooming," manipulates AI training data to embed Russian propaganda. Pravda is part of Portal Kombat, a larger Russian disinformation network identified by VIGINUM in February 2024, but in operation sinc
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Social Media Algorithms Amplified Disinformation Campaign in Honduras Election AIID ↗
In October 2021, a coordinated network of over 317 fake Twitter accounts leveraged AI-driven algorithms to amplify disinformation about the Honduran presidential election, targeting opposition candidate Xiomara Castro. The campaign spread false narratives to suppress voter turnout and undermine the election's integrity. Social media platforms, including Twitter and Facebook, removed the accounts only after being alerted, which also raised concerns about inadequate moderation.
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Henan Authorities Reportedly Commissioned Facial Recognition System to Track Journalists and International Students AIID ↗
Henan Public Security Department procurement documents reportedly described a surveillance system awarded to Neusoft on September 17, 2021. The planned system would allegedly use about 3,000 facial-recognition cameras linked to regional and national databases to create files and alerts on foreign journalists, international students, and other targeted groups. It could not be confirmed whether the system became operational.
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Facebook Recommended Military Gear Ads Despite Pause on Weapons Accessories Ads AIID ↗
Facebook’s algorithmic recommendations reportedly continued showing advertisements for gun accessories and military gear, despite Facebook’s halt on weapons accessories ads following the US Capitol attack.
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Reported AI-Assisted Influence Campaigns by GoLaxy Allegedly Targeting Hong Kong and Taiwan Political Discourse AIID ↗
Reportedly leaked documents reviewed by researchers and media allege that Chinese firm GoLaxy used its "GoPro" AI system in multiple influence campaigns. In 2020, it reportedly tracked 180,000 Twitter accounts to counter opposition to Hong Kong's National Security Law; in 2022–2023, it amplified praise for China's Zero Covid policy using purportedly fake Facebook accounts; and in late 2023, allegedly it advised on messaging to weaken Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party.
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Fake Accounts Using GAN Faces Deployed by Propaganda Campaign on Social Platforms AIID ↗
A pro-China propaganda campaign deployed fake accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube using GAN-synthesized faces to share and post comments on its content to gain wider circulation.
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Indian Political App Tek Fog Allegedly Hijacked Trends and Manipulated Public Opinion on Other Social Media Platforms AIID ↗
The Indian political social media app Tek Fog allegedly allowed operatives affiliated with the ruling political party to hijack social media trends and manipulate public opinion on other apps such as Twitter and WhatsApp, which opposition parties denounced as a national security threat.
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Climate Action Group Posted Deepfake of Belgian Prime Minister Urging Climate Crisis Action AIID ↗
A deepfake video showing the Belgium’s prime minister speaking of an urgent need to tackle the climate crises was released by a climate action group.
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BJP Used Deepfake Videos of Manoj Tiwari to Target Haryanvi Voters in 2020 Delhi Election AIID ↗
In February 2020, India's BJP used purported deepfake videos of party leader Manoj Tiwari to influence voters in the Delhi legislative election. The videos reportedly showed Tiwari delivering scripted campaign messages in Haryanvi and English, which are languages he did not speak, by altering his lip movements and voice. Distributed via thousands of WhatsApp groups, the deepfakes reportedly reached millions of voters without disclosure.
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Bots Allegedly Made up Roughly Half of Twitter Accounts in Discussions Surrounding COVID-19 Related Issues AIID ↗
Bots by anonymous actors were found by researchers to make up roughly half of Twitter accounts participating in COVID-19 discussions, many of which posted tweets about “reopening America“.
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Uganda Deployed Huawei's Facial Recognition to Monitor Political Opposition and Protests AIID ↗
Huawei's AI systems involving facial recognition were reportedly deployed by the Ugandan government to monitor political opposition actors and anti-regime sentiments, which raised fears of surveillance and suppression of individual freedoms.
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GAN Faces Deployed by The BL's Fake Account Network to Push Pro-Trump Content on Meta Platforms AIID ↗
A large network of pages, groups, and fake accounts having GAN-generated face photos associated with The BL, a US-based media outlet, reportedly bypassed Facebook moderation systems to push "pro-Trump" narratives on its platform and Instagram.
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'Jewish Baby Strollers' Provided Antisemitic Google Images, Allegedly Resulting from Hate Speech Campaign AIID ↗
Results for Google Images searches for "Jewish baby strollers" reportedly showed offensive, antisemitic results, allegedly a result of a coordinated hate-speech campaign involving malicious actors on 4chan.
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Government Deployed Extreme Surveillance Technologies to Monitor and Target Muslim Minorities in Xinjiang AIID ↗
A suite of AI-powered digital surveillance systems involving facial recognition and analysis of biometric data were deployed by the Chinese government in Xinjiang to monitor and discriminate local Uyghur and other Turkic Muslims.
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YouTube Recommendations Allegedly Promoted Radicalizing Material Contributing to Terrorist Acts AIID ↗
Family of Nohemi Gonzalez alleged YouTube recommendation systems led people to propaganda videos for the Islamic State which subsequently radicalized them to carry out the killing of 130 people in the 2015 Paris terrorist attack, including Ms. Gonzalez.
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YouTube Recommendations Implicated in Political Radicalization of User AIID ↗
YouTube’s personalization and recommendation algorithms were alleged to have pushed and exposed its young male users to political extremism and misinformation, driving them towards far-right ideologies such as neo-Nazism and white supremacy.
Informational only, not legal advice. Verify every claim against the linked official sources and consult qualified counsel before acting.