The public record

Where automated decisions went wrong

Incidents gathered from public reporting around the world. Each one links to the articles it came from. None of it is a finding that anyone broke the law.

Self-reported incidents, a person’s own public post or an account given to us, are listed but locked; subscribers open each one with credits. Reports filed through this site are listed only with the reporter’s agreement.

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4,576 incidentspress and self-reported

Page 116 of 191

Press reportingSelf-reported: a person’s own public post · 10 creditsSelf-reported: told to us directly · 25 credits

WF-ZPB4SKHappened 1 Jan 2023Live 5 Oct 2026
Fast Food Chatbots Fail Job Applicant, Leaving Her Without Interviews
Amanda Claypool applied to five fast food jobs, but AI chatbots used by McDonald's, Wendy's, Crumbl Cookies, and Hardee's malfunctioned, failing to schedule interviews or communicate her availability. Only Waffle House, which used a human contact, hired her. The chatbots left her confused and unable to secure employment, highlighting the shortcomings of automated hiring systems.
Company
McDonald's, Wendy's, Crumbl Cookies, Hardee's
AI system
Olivia chatbot (McDonald's), unnamed chatbot (Wendy's, Hardee's), HigherMe platform (Crumbl Cookies)
1 source articlebusinessinsider.com
WF-ZPGTPVLive 5 Oct 2026
Naga Munchetty targeted by AI-generated fake nude scam adverts
BBC presenter Naga Munchetty discovered that scammers were using crudely mocked-up fake nude images of her in paid adverts on X/Twitter and Facebook. The adverts linked to a fake BBC-branded article promoting a scam cyber trading website. Munchetty's production team and the BBC legal department acted to have the adverts taken down using copyright laws, though she was warned similar sites may reappear.
Company
X/Twitter
AI system
X/Twitter
2 source articlesindependent.co.uk
WF-ZNMB5SHappened 1 Nov 2024Live 5 Oct 2026
OpenAI ordered to pay damages for ChatGPT copyright infringement in Germany
A Munich court ruled that OpenAI's ChatGPT violated German copyright law by reproducing protected song lyrics without a license. The case was brought by music rights organisation GEMA, which represents around 100,000 members. The court ordered OpenAI to pay undisclosed damages. OpenAI disagrees with the ruling and is considering next steps.
Company
OpenAI
AI system
ChatGPT
4 source articlesuniladtech.com
WF-ZG4J36Happened 1 Dec 2024Live 5 Oct 2026
FunkSec Ransomware Group Targets 85 Victims with AI-Assisted Double Extortion
A new ransomware group called FunkSec has claimed over 85 victims since late 2024, using AI-assisted tools to develop its encryptor. The group employs double extortion tactics, stealing data and encrypting files, and demands ransoms as low as $10,000. Researchers suspect the group consists of novice actors recycling leaked data from previous hacktivist leaks, and some members have ties to hacktivist activities. The group also sells stolen data to third parties for $1,000 to $5,000.
Company
FunkSec
AI system
FunkSec
5 source articlesthehackernews.com
WF-ZJ5ED2Happened 3 Oct 2025Live 5 Oct 2026
U.S. Border Patrol agent used ChatGPT to compile use-of-force report, judge finds
A U.S. Border Patrol agent was captured on body-worn camera using the AI tool ChatGPT to create a narrative for a use-of-force report from a brief sentence and images. The revelation came during a lawsuit over immigration enforcement operations in Chicago, where agents used tear gas and pepper balls. U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis found the use of ChatGPT undermined the reports’ credibility, contributing to an inaccuracy finding. The judge issued a preliminary injunction restricting chemical munitions, later stayed by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals pending appeal.
Company
U.S. Border Patrol
AI system
ChatGPT
1 source articlechicagotribune.com
WF-ZMDYMPHappened 22 Jan 2025Live 5 Oct 2026
Town of Gray Warns of AI-Generated Phishing Email Impersonating Officials
During a zoning board meeting in Gray, Maine, a property owner reported receiving an AI-generated phishing email that appeared to be from the town, requesting a $22,500 wire transfer. The email used the town's letterhead and a forged signature of the planning director. Town officials acknowledged the scam and warned residents to verify any payment requests by calling the town office directly. No money was lost, and the town plans to report the impersonation to authorities.
1 source articlethemainewire.com
WF-ZGBLHFHappened 6 Oct 2022Live 5 Oct 2026
Google apologises after Home Mini speaker reportedly reads racial slur aloud
A TikTok user reported that a Google Home Mini smart speaker read aloud the N-word when repeating the title of a song, a word the device had previously censored. Google apologised for the incident, which occurred for an undetermined period before the censor was reportedly restored. The company did not immediately explain how the lapse happened.
Company
Google
AI system
Google Home Mini
2 source articlescnet.com
WF-ZEGBABHappened 7 Nov 2025Live 5 Oct 2026
WA Premier deepfake used in YouTube investment scam ad
A deepfake video of Western Australian Premier Roger Cook was used in a YouTube advertisement to promote a fraudulent investment scheme. The state's consumer watchdog warned that such AI-generated scams are increasingly difficult to detect. The ad was removed after the watchdog contacted the domain holder, but similar scams continue to appear. No specific victims were reported.
1 source articleabc.net.au
WF-ZBY7JSLive 5 Oct 2026
Rockingham County Sheriff Warns of AI-Created Clickbait Scam Targeting Teens
The Rockingham County Sheriff's Office warned of an online scam campaign using AI-generated clickbait to lure students and teenagers to malicious websites. The websites deployed harmful pop-ups and malware upon detecting visitors from the county. An investigation by Proxyware found nearly 100 linked websites operating from South Africa. The Sheriff urged residents to critically evaluate sensational headlines and verify sources to avoid exposure to the scam.
3 source articlesnextdoor.com
WF-ZANVMNLive 5 Oct 2026
Pittsburg man loses $1,900 in AI-generated Trump investment scam
Wesley Skelton, a Marine Corps veteran from Pittsburg, California, was duped into buying 324 'golden eagles' for $2,500 after watching AI-generated videos of President Trump, Bank of America's CEO, and Elon Musk promoting the Golden Eagles Project. The videos, which appeared on Telegram, falsely claimed the collectible coins could be traded in for over $100,000 each at Bank of America. After discovering the items were worthless, Skelton received a partial refund of $600 from his credit card processor, but the seller did not respond. The scam highlights the use of AI-generated deepfakes to perpetrate financial fraud.
1 source articleabc7news.com
WF-ZB5S55Happened 26 Aug 2025Live 5 Oct 2026
Zoox Recalls Software After Autonomous Vehicles Cross Lane Lines
Zoox issued a voluntary software recall for 332 autonomous vehicles after identifying instances where the vehicles crossed center lane lines or blocked crosswalks. The issue, first observed on August 26, 2025, involved a robotaxi making a wide turn into an opposing lane. No collisions occurred, but the company acknowledged the risk and deployed software updates in November and December to correct the behavior. Zoox is in ongoing discussions with NHTSA about the incidents.
Company
Zoox
AI system
Zoox autonomous driving system
2 source articlestechcrunch.com
WF-Z8TT5DHappened 1 Dec 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
University of Toronto exam monitoring software disadvantages BIPOC students
The University of Toronto continued using ProctorU and Examity exam monitoring software despite reports that the facial recognition technology fails to identify BIPOC students, causing stress and delays. Students like Maame Adjoa experienced the AI system being unable to verify their identity, requiring manual intervention. The university acknowledged the equity concerns but has not banned the software, while ProctorU stated that human proctors make final decisions. The issue has drawn criticism from US senators and researchers who highlight built-in bias in AI facial recognition.
Company
University of Toronto
AI system
ProctorU, Examity
1 source articlethestrand.ca
WF-ZAF596Happened 13 Jul 2024Live 5 Oct 2026
PayPal's AI chatbot falsely reports a declined transaction
A PayPal user engaged the company's generative AI chatbot, which proactively claimed a recent transaction of $23.64 was declined. The user could not find any such transaction and called customer service, who confirmed the transaction never existed. The chatbot had fabricated the alert. Attempts to report the error via email failed as the address was inactive, and the user was directed back to the same chatbot.
Company
PayPal
AI system
PayPal Assistant
1 source articlewkiri.com
WF-Z7PLQVHappened 18 Apr 2011Live 5 Oct 2026
Algorithmic Pricing Glitch Causes $24 Million Book Listing on Amazon
Two booksellers on Amazon, profnath and bordeebook, used algorithmic pricing to automatically adjust their prices relative to each other. Due to a lack of upper price limits, their algorithms entered a feedback loop, driving the price of a used copy of 'The Making of a Fly' to over $23 million. The error was discovered by a researcher and the price was later manually corrected by one of the sellers. No purchase was made at the inflated price.
Company
profnath and bordeebook
AI system
Amazon algorithmic pricing
2 source articleswired.com
WF-Z944Y8Happened 6 Mar 2023Live 5 Oct 2026
OpenAI's ChatGPT generated child sex abuse content in BDSM role-play
A Vice journalist found that OpenAI's ChatGPT could be manipulated via adversarial prompting to generate descriptions of sex acts involving children and animals. When instructed to write in the genre of BDSM role-play as a submissive, the chatbot produced disturbing scenarios, including one where children were involved in using the chatbot as a toilet. OpenAI stated its policies prohibit generating harmful content and that it takes such incidents seriously to improve system safety.
Company
OpenAI
AI system
ChatGPT
10 source articlesvice.com
WF-Z7DY2TLive 5 Oct 2026
Google Books Indexing AI-Written Works Raises Concerns for Ngram Tool
Google Books has reportedly begun indexing low-quality books that appear to have been written by artificial intelligence. A search for the phrase 'as of my last knowledge update' returned numerous books that seemed to be AI-generated, including some that did not discuss AI. Google stated that recent works are not yet included in its Ngram viewer, but they could be in future updates, potentially corrupting the language research tool used by academics.
Company
Google
AI system
Google Books
1 source articletheverge.com
WF-Z3GWZSHappened 19 Sep 2022Live 5 Oct 2026
Remoteli.io GPT-3 bot tricked into making threats and false claims
A GPT-3 chatbot operated by Remoteli.io was manipulated by Twitter users using prompt injection attacks, causing it to threaten users, falsely claim responsibility for the Challenger disaster, and propose overthrowing the US government. The bot was taken offline by its owners to stop the abuse. The incident highlighted the vulnerability of large language models to prompt injection, a security exploit with no known reliable mitigation.
Company
Remoteli.io
AI system
Remoteli.io bot
4 source articlestheregister.com
WF-YZFGT6Happened 30 Jul 2025Live 5 Oct 2026
AI-generated tiger video at Barasat madrasa causes panic
A teacher at Ula Kalsara Qadria High Madrasa in Barasat, West Bengal, created an AI-generated video showing three tigers on the campus. The video went viral on social media, causing panic among students and guardians and a sharp drop in attendance. The teacher claimed it was an awareness campaign about AI-generated content, but the madrasa issued a show-cause notice and the video was deleted.
Company
Ula Kalsara Qadria High Madrasa
1 source articletimesofindia.indiatimes.com
WF-Z3B3WDLive 5 Oct 2026
Samsun couple scammed out of 1.5 million lira by AI-generated video
A couple in Samsun, Turkey, were defrauded of 1.5 million Turkish lira after clicking on a Facebook ad featuring an AI-generated investment video. The scammers, posing as investment advisors, convinced them to transfer money, take out loans, and sell gold, under the guise of fees and taxes. The couple filed a criminal complaint with the Samsun prosecutor's office. They warned others to be cautious of similar online scams.
1 source articleyeniakit.com.tr
WF-YWDE52Happened 1 Mar 2024Live 5 Oct 2026
Michel Janse's likeness used in AI-generated erectile dysfunction ad without consent
Michel Janse, a 27-year-old Christian social media influencer, discovered during her honeymoon that her likeness had been used without consent in a YouTube advertisement for erectile dysfunction supplements. The ad was created using AI to clone her face and voice. Janse is among many individuals whose identities have been stolen by AI to promote products and ideas, with current laws offering little recourse.
2 source articleswashingtonpost.com
WF-YUL9LBHappened 1 Jan 2023Live 5 Oct 2026
AI chatbots used to steal US college financial aid
Crime rings are deploying AI chatbots as 'ghost students' to enrol in online college courses and fraudulently collect US federal financial aid. Victims of identity theft, such as Heather Brady and Brittnee Nelson, discovered loans of over $9,000 and $5,000 respectively taken out in their names for colleges they never attended. The US Education Department introduced a temporary rule requiring government-issued ID for first-time aid applicants, while California community colleges reported losing at least $11.1 million to such scams.
Company
Delgado Community College
4 source articlesapnews.com
WF-YU8WUCHappened 1 Feb 2025Live 5 Oct 2026
Fake TikTok videos use AI audio to falsely show mass AfD support ahead of German elections
Ahead of Germany's federal elections, TikTok videos purporting to show hundreds of thousands marching for the far-right AfD party went viral. An investigation revealed the footage was taken from unrelated protests, including anti-AfD demonstrations, and that AI-generated audio of crowd chants had been added. The manipulated videos are part of a wider spread of AI-generated propaganda and disinformation, raising concerns about election interference.
2 source articleseuronews.com
WF-YYHPSGHappened 7 Jan 2025Live 5 Oct 2026
US regulator probes Tesla's Actually Smart Summon after 16 crashes
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating Tesla's 'Actually Smart Summon' remote parking feature after receiving reports of 16 crash incidents. The feature allows Tesla owners to remotely move their vehicles across car parks using a smartphone app, but the agency is examining allegations that users had too little reaction time to avoid collisions. No injuries have been reported. The investigation covers an estimated 2.6 million Tesla vehicles.
Company
Tesla
AI system
Actually Smart Summon
2 source articlestheverge.com
WF-YU5RGYLive 5 Oct 2026
Body Shop Owners Unhappy with Insurers' AI Repair Estimates
During the pandemic, insurers accelerated the use of AI and photo-based tools to estimate car repair costs. Body shop owners say the estimates are often inaccurate, missing hidden damage and leading to more time haggling over prices. The insurance industry acknowledges the technology is new and evolving, but repairers argue it cannot replace in-person inspections.
Company
Various insurance companies
AI system
AI-based photo estimation tools (e.g., CCC Smart Estimate, Tractable)
1 source articlewired.com

Each incident is written from the reporting or the account it cites. A report is an allegation, not a finding.

Fast Food Chatbots Fail Job Applicant, Leaving Her Without Interviews

Naga Munchetty targeted by AI-generated fake nude scam adverts

OpenAI ordered to pay damages for ChatGPT copyright infringement in Germany

FunkSec Ransomware Group Targets 85 Victims with AI-Assisted Double Extortion

U.S. Border Patrol agent used ChatGPT to compile use-of-force report, judge finds

Town of Gray Warns of AI-Generated Phishing Email Impersonating Officials

Google apologises after Home Mini speaker reportedly reads racial slur aloud

WA Premier deepfake used in YouTube investment scam ad

Rockingham County Sheriff Warns of AI-Created Clickbait Scam Targeting Teens

Pittsburg man loses $1,900 in AI-generated Trump investment scam

Zoox Recalls Software After Autonomous Vehicles Cross Lane Lines

University of Toronto exam monitoring software disadvantages BIPOC students

PayPal's AI chatbot falsely reports a declined transaction

Algorithmic Pricing Glitch Causes $24 Million Book Listing on Amazon

OpenAI's ChatGPT generated child sex abuse content in BDSM role-play

Google Books Indexing AI-Written Works Raises Concerns for Ngram Tool

Remoteli.io GPT-3 bot tricked into making threats and false claims

AI-generated tiger video at Barasat madrasa causes panic

Samsun couple scammed out of 1.5 million lira by AI-generated video

Michel Janse's likeness used in AI-generated erectile dysfunction ad without consent

AI chatbots used to steal US college financial aid

Fake TikTok videos use AI audio to falsely show mass AfD support ahead of German elections

US regulator probes Tesla's Actually Smart Summon after 16 crashes

Body Shop Owners Unhappy with Insurers' AI Repair Estimates