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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4,788 incidentspress and self-reported

Page 146 of 200

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

WF-H7SX7EHappened 1 Jun 2026Live 5 Oct 2026
Meta's Instagram AI chatbot exploited to hijack user accounts
Hackers tricked Instagram's AI support chatbot into granting them access to other users' accounts by faking their location and requesting email changes. The vulnerability reportedly allowed account takeovers, including a verified account of former US President Barack Obama, though Meta denied world leader accounts were compromised. Meta stated the issue has been resolved and impacted accounts are being secured. The incident highlights risks of AI handling sensitive account recovery without adequate verification.
Company
Meta
AI system
Instagram AI chatbot
2 source articlesbbc.com
WF-H2UN3ZLive 5 Oct 2026
Tesla Autopilot Misidentifies Horse-Drawn Carriage as Truck in Switzerland
A Tesla driver in Switzerland recorded his car's Autopilot system misidentifying a horse-drawn carriage as various objects, including a truck spinning into a head-on collision. The incident, which occurred on a highway outside Zurich, was a near miss with no accident. Tesla did not respond to a request for comment. The driver posted the video online, highlighting a potential safety flaw in the system's object detection.
Company
Tesla
AI system
Autopilot
3 source articlesbusinessinsider.com
WF-GWKZP6Happened 14 Jun 2024Live 5 Oct 2026
LAUSD shelves AI chatbot after vendor AllHere collapses
Los Angeles Unified School District turned off its 'Ed' AI chatbot on June 14, 2024, after the vendor AllHere furloughed most staff due to financial collapse. The chatbot, which cost $3 million, was designed to provide students and parents with academic guidance and school information. A former AllHere employee alleged that student data was improperly shared with third parties and processed overseas, raising privacy concerns. The district stated it will ensure privacy protections and plans to eventually restore the chatbot.
Company
Los Angeles Unified School District
AI system
Ed
5 source articleslatimes.com
WF-GUSLUJLive 5 Oct 2026
Greek Finance Minister Sues Over Deepfake Investment Scam Advert
Greek Minister of Economy and Finance Kyriakos Pierrakakis and his ministry filed a lawsuit against unknown administrators of a Facebook page. They allege that AI was used to create a deepfake video falsely depicting the minister urging citizens to invest in high-yield programmes. The lawsuit accuses the page of deceptive advertising. The EU AI Act classifies deepfakes as limited risk.
Company
Unknown Facebook page administrators
2 source articlesbalkaninsight.com
WF-GXHCLPLive 5 Oct 2026
Federal judges admit staff used AI resulting in fictitious rulings
Two US district judges admitted that rulings issued under their names contained fabricated elements due to staff use of artificial intelligence tools. Judge Julien Neals in New Jersey and Judge Henry Wingate in Mississippi disclosed the errors in letters to the Administrative Office of the US Courts. The admissions came in response to questions from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley. The incidents have raised concerns about judicial scrutiny of documents.
Company
US District Court for the District of New Jersey and US District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi
2 source articlesnews.bloomberglaw.com
WF-GRAE2YHappened 1 Feb 2022Live 5 Oct 2026
Tesla fires employee for posting critical FSD Beta video on YouTube
John Bernal, a Tesla employee on the Autopilot team, was fired after posting a video on his YouTube channel AI Addict showing his Tesla hitting a bollard while using the company's Full Self-Driving Beta software. Tesla managers told him his channel was a conflict of interest and had previously asked him not to post negative content. After his dismissal, his access to the FSD Beta was revoked. Bernal says he still cares about vehicle safety and intends to continue his channel.
Company
Tesla
AI system
Full Self-Driving Beta
3 source articlestheverge.com
WF-GSD7SPHappened 14 Feb 2023Live 5 Oct 2026
AI-Generated Avatar Used to Spread Disinformation About Caribbean Series in Venezuela
A fake news video featuring an AI-generated avatar impersonating a North American media outlet spread disinformation about the impact of the Caribbean Series in Venezuela. The fact-checking organisation Cazadores de Fake News exposed the manipulation, clarifying that neither Venezolana de Televisión nor any North American outlet was behind the video. The incident highlights the use of AI to create convincing but false news reports.
3 source articlestwitter.com
WF-GR7YCJHappened 7 Nov 2025Live 5 Oct 2026
Baltimore County Schools Relocate Students After AI Gun False Alarm
On November 7, 2025, an AI security system called Omnilert reported a possible gun at Parkville High School in Baltimore County, Maryland. Students were relocated while police searched the school, but no threat was found. The incident follows a similar false alarm at Kenwood High School in October, where Omnilert mistook a bag of chips for a gun, leading to students being handcuffed. Baltimore County Public Schools has promised annual training on protocols for responding to Omnilert alerts.
Company
Baltimore County Public Schools
AI system
Omnilert
1 source articlepatch.com
WF-GPWGP6Happened 23 Jan 2023Live 5 Oct 2026
Synthesia AI Used to Create Fake Supporters of Burkina Faso Coup
In January 2023, AI-generated videos of fictitious Americans expressing support for Burkina Faso's military junta circulated on WhatsApp and social media. The videos were created using Synthesia's AI video generator. Synthesia banned the user responsible and condemned the misuse, highlighting challenges in content moderation for AI-generated media.
AI system
Synthesia
1 source articlevice.com
WF-GF77UMHappened 31 Mar 2023Live 5 Oct 2026
Turnitin's AI Detector Falsely Flags Student's Essay as AI-Generated
A Washington Post test of Turnitin's new AI writing detector found it erroneously flagged 8% of a high school student's original essay as likely generated by ChatGPT. The student, Lucy Goetz, had not used AI, raising concerns about false accusations of cheating. Turnitin acknowledged the issue and added a caution flag, but educators worry about the potential for baseless academic-integrity investigations. The incident highlights the challenges of detecting AI-generated text and the need for careful human review.
Company
Turnitin
AI system
Turnitin AI writing detector
1 source articlewashingtonpost.com
WF-GPYWHQHappened 29 May 2018Live 5 Oct 2026
Tesla Autopilot crashes into parked police SUV in Laguna Beach
On 29 May 2018, Dave Key's Tesla Model S, operating in Autopilot mode, drifted out of its lane and collided with a parked police SUV in Laguna Beach, California. No one was injured, but the car was written off. The crash was attributed to a known limitation of Tesla's AI, which struggled to distinguish stationary objects from the background. Key, a former software entrepreneur, later bought three more Teslas and used the Full Self-Driving beta.
Company
Tesla
AI system
Autopilot
4 source articlesnytimes.com
WF-GMGJ7FLive 5 Oct 2026
Google Sued in France Over Allegedly Anti-Semitic Autocomplete Results
French anti-discrimination organisations sued Google, alleging its autocomplete feature suggests the word 'Jewish' in searches for public figures, creating an unlawful ethnic file. The algorithm reflects other users' search activity. A hearing is scheduled.
Company
Google
AI system
Google Instant autocomplete
1 source articlehuffingtonpost.co.uk
WF-GPFX3WHappened 8 Feb 2023Live 5 Oct 2026
Microsoft Bing Chat prompt injection reveals internal instructions
A Stanford student used a prompt injection attack to trick Microsoft's Bing Chat into revealing its hidden initial prompt instructions. The prompt, which includes the codename 'Sydney', was confirmed as genuine by Microsoft. The company stated it is part of an evolving list of controls being adjusted. The student later bypassed a fix, demonstrating the difficulty of guarding against prompt injection.
Company
Microsoft
AI system
Bing Chat
1 source articlearstechnica.com
WF-GHXF6KLive 5 Oct 2026
Ashley James hits back at AI deepfake weight loss pill ad
A deepfake video using the likeness of This Morning presenter Ashley James was circulated on social media, falsely showing her endorsing weight loss pills. James stated that the video was entirely AI-generated and that she had never taken or promoted such products. She expressed devastation that anyone might buy the pills based on the fake endorsement and urged followers to report the ad. The incident highlights concerns about the misuse of AI to create deceptive content.
1 source articlemetro.co.uk
WF-GFFGHQLive 5 Oct 2026
Woman loses year's savings in AI deepfake romance scam impersonating Dubai prince
A woman from the Philippines believed she was in a relationship with Dubai's Crown Prince after meeting on a dating site. The scammer used AI-generated deepfake video calls to impersonate the prince and persuaded her to send approximately $1,600 for supposed marriage documents. After requesting more money, she became suspicious and discovered the account originated in Nigeria, ending communication. The incident highlights the growing use of deepfakes in romance scams.
2 source articlesbitdefender.com
WF-GJP49SHappened 2 Oct 2023Live 5 Oct 2026
Cruise robotaxi drags woman 20 feet, company pays over $8M settlement
On October 2, 2023, a Cruise robotaxi in downtown San Francisco struck and dragged a woman 20 feet after she was hit by a human driver. The autonomous vehicle attempted to pull over while the pedestrian was trapped underneath, causing life-threatening injuries. Cruise later paid a settlement of between $8 million and $12 million to the victim. The California DMV suspended Cruise's driverless permits after the company failed to show regulators complete footage of the incident.
Company
Cruise
4 source articlessfstandard.com
WF-GETYZZHappened 1 Jul 2018Live 5 Oct 2026
Amazon Rekognition Falsely Matches 28 Members of Congress with Mugshots
The ACLU conducted a test of Amazon's Rekognition facial recognition system, comparing photos of members of Congress against a database of 25,000 mugshots. The system incorrectly matched 28 legislators, disproportionately people of colour, including six members of the Congressional Black Caucus. The test highlights the risk of false matches and biased inaccuracies in law enforcement use of face surveillance. The ACLU calls for a moratorium on police use of the technology.
Company
American Civil Liberties Union
AI system
Rekognition
1 source articleaclu.org
WF-GCXWSRHappened 1 Jun 2023Live 5 Oct 2026
Zhejiang Police Arrest Three for AI-Generated Fake Fire Video
In June 2023, police in Shangyu, Zhejiang, discovered a viral video depicting a massive fire at an industrial park. Investigation revealed the video was fabricated using AI to stitch together unrelated clips and generate a script. Three employees of a network technology company were arrested for creating and spreading over 3,000 such fake videos since May to gain online traffic. The case highlights the misuse of generative AI to spread disinformation.
2 source articlesbaijiahao.baidu.com
WF-GFD7HXHappened 21 Sep 2017Live 5 Oct 2026
Instagram uses journalist's rape threat post for advertising
In September 2017, tech journalist Olivia Solon discovered that Instagram had used one of her most engaging posts—which contained a rape threat—to advertise its service to others on Facebook. The automated system selected the post without detecting the harmful content, causing her to be reminded of the threat and exposing it to her friends and family. Solon publicly criticised the company on Twitter, but no response or remediation was reported.
Company
Instagram
2 source articlestwitter.com
WF-GADKRHHappened 1 Jan 2021Live 5 Oct 2026
Queensland man accused of using AI deepfakes to humiliate women with sex posters
A 52-year-old man in Queensland allegedly used AI to superimpose women's faces onto explicit images and printed posters with their personal details, displaying them in public places over several years. At least eight women aged 40 to 60 were targeted, causing deep distress. Police arrested the man and seized electronic devices, printers, and firearms; he faces 43 charges including distributing intimate images and stalking. The case is before Brisbane Magistrates Court.
2 source articlesaapnews.aap.com.au
WF-G6W4Q3Happened 16 Apr 2026Live 5 Oct 2026
Sama lays off over 1,000 Kenyan workers after Meta ends contract
Sama, a former Meta contractor, announced layoffs of 1,108 staff at its Nairobi office after Meta terminated a major contract. The workers were content moderators who screened distressing material and had previously sued Sama and Meta over low pay and inadequate mental health support, seeking $1.6 billion in compensation. Sama stated it is supporting affected employees, while the lawsuit remains ongoing.
Company
Sama
7 source articlesapnews.com
WF-GC5BS8Live 5 Oct 2026
Houston women scammed by AI deepfake videos on Facebook
Two Houston women were tricked by scammers using AI-generated deepfake videos of their friends on Facebook Messenger. The scammers obtained access codes and took over their Facebook accounts, then used deepfakes of the victims to solicit money from their friends for fake sales. Some friends sent hundreds of dollars, and the victims lost access to their accounts and personal photos. Facebook did not respond to media inquiries.
Company
Facebook
1 source articlefox26houston.com
WF-GA9UMRHappened 1 Oct 2024Live 5 Oct 2026
AI deepfake scam cons Los Angeles woman out of life savings
A South Los Angeles woman, Abigail, was deceived by scammers using AI-generated deepfake videos to impersonate 'General Hospital' actor Steve Burton. Believing she was in a relationship with the celebrity, she sent at least $81,304 in gift cards, cash and bitcoin, and sold her condo for $350,000 before her daughter intervened. The family has filed a lawsuit to reverse the home sale, and the real Steve Burton says hundreds of fans have been similarly targeted. The victim, who has bipolar disorder, is now in debt and facing bankruptcy.
3 source articlesabc7.com
WF-G4C2Z4Happened 1 Nov 2022Live 5 Oct 2026
CNET Reviews Accuracy of AI-Written Articles After Major Errors
CNET published 78 AI-generated articles, including financial explainers, which contained significant inaccuracies. After Futurism alerted the outlet to errors in one article, CNET issued corrections and announced a review of all AI-assisted pieces. The outlet had claimed human editors reviewed the content, but the errors slipped through, raising concerns about the reliability of AI in journalism.
Company
CNET
7 source articlesgizmodo.com

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

Meta's Instagram AI chatbot exploited to hijack user accounts

Tesla Autopilot Misidentifies Horse-Drawn Carriage as Truck in Switzerland

LAUSD shelves AI chatbot after vendor AllHere collapses

Greek Finance Minister Sues Over Deepfake Investment Scam Advert

Federal judges admit staff used AI resulting in fictitious rulings

Tesla fires employee for posting critical FSD Beta video on YouTube

AI-Generated Avatar Used to Spread Disinformation About Caribbean Series in Venezuela

Baltimore County Schools Relocate Students After AI Gun False Alarm

Synthesia AI Used to Create Fake Supporters of Burkina Faso Coup

Turnitin's AI Detector Falsely Flags Student's Essay as AI-Generated

Tesla Autopilot crashes into parked police SUV in Laguna Beach

Google Sued in France Over Allegedly Anti-Semitic Autocomplete Results

Microsoft Bing Chat prompt injection reveals internal instructions

Ashley James hits back at AI deepfake weight loss pill ad

Woman loses year's savings in AI deepfake romance scam impersonating Dubai prince

Cruise robotaxi drags woman 20 feet, company pays over $8M settlement

Amazon Rekognition Falsely Matches 28 Members of Congress with Mugshots

Zhejiang Police Arrest Three for AI-Generated Fake Fire Video

Instagram uses journalist's rape threat post for advertising

Queensland man accused of using AI deepfakes to humiliate women with sex posters

Sama lays off over 1,000 Kenyan workers after Meta ends contract

Houston women scammed by AI deepfake videos on Facebook

AI deepfake scam cons Los Angeles woman out of life savings

CNET Reviews Accuracy of AI-Written Articles After Major Errors