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 147 of 200

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

WF-G2DQFVLive 5 Oct 2026
South African government departments suspend officials over AI-generated fake sources
The South African Department of Communication and Digital Technology and Department of Home Affairs suspended four officials after discovering that AI-generated fictitious references were used in policy documents. The Draft National Artificial Intelligence Policy was withdrawn from public consultation, and the Revised White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration, and Refugees was also affected. The departments are investigating and have appointed independent law firms to review all policy documents since November 2022. The ministers have pledged to implement AI verification checks in future policy approval processes.
Company
Department of Communication and Digital Technology; Department of Home Affairs
3 source articlesbusinesstech.co.za
WF-FP5W9BLive 5 Oct 2026
Michael Smith pleads guilty to AI-powered streaming fraud for $8 million in royalties
Michael Smith, a North Carolina man, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for operating a scheme that used AI-generated music tracks and automated bots to generate billions of fake streams, fraudulently obtaining over $8 million in royalties from streaming platforms. The scheme diverted money from real artists and rights holders. Smith agreed to forfeit the $8,091,843.64 and faces up to five years in prison at sentencing in July 2026.
2 source articlesroutenote.com
WF-G5X76HHappened 1 Nov 2023Live 5 Oct 2026
Israel deploys Corsight facial recognition in Gaza to locate suspects
Israel is using Corsight facial recognition technology in Gaza to identify terror suspects, according to intelligence officials. The system has also misidentified civilians. A Palestinian poet alleges he was detained after being flagged by the AI. The IDF declined to comment on operational capabilities.
Company
Israel Defense Forces
AI system
Corsight
3 source articlesynetnews.com
WF-FYYPNNHappened 1 Jan 2024Live 5 Oct 2026
Supreme Court strikes down NCLT order based on AI-hallucinated judgments
The National Company Law Tribunal admitted an insolvency petition against Essel Infraprojects, relying on six AI-generated citations that were later found to be non-existent or misattributed. Essel Infraprojects appealed, and the Supreme Court set aside the order, calling the use of fake judgments catastrophic. The court directed the Bar Council of India to examine AI use in litigation and ordered a fresh decision.
Company
National Company Law Tribunal
1 source articleindianexpress.com
WF-FXYZ6YHappened 1 Aug 2024Live 5 Oct 2026
Norwegian man files complaint after ChatGPT falsely claims he killed his sons
Arve Hjalmar Holmen asked ChatGPT for information about himself and received a response falsely stating he was convicted of murdering his two sons. The digital rights group Noyb filed a complaint with the Norwegian Data Protection Authority on his behalf, alleging the output was defamatory and violated European data protection rules. Mr Holmen said the hallucination was damaging and feared others might believe it. OpenAI has not publicly responded to the complaint.
Company
OpenAI
AI system
ChatGPT
3 source articlesabc.net.au
WF-FTMFHGHappened 1 Jan 2020Live 5 Oct 2026
Amazon tracked every minute of JFK8 warehouse workers' shifts, documents show
Internal documents show Amazon's Time Off Task tool tracked every minute of JFK8 warehouse workers' shifts using handheld scanners and identified a 'top offender' per shift. Managers questioned those workers about each period of inactivity, including bathroom breaks, and issued warnings or fired them for 30 to 120 minutes of time off task. The article reports that 18 workers were terminated between January and February 2020, and workers said they skipped water and bathroom breaks for fear of discipline. Amazon did not respond to a request for comment.
Company
Amazon
AI system
Time Off Task Tool
3 source articlesvice.com
WF-FXPKYQHappened 21 Apr 2026Live 5 Oct 2026
White House Amplifies AI-Enhanced Images of Iranian Women Prisoners, Undermining Human Rights Cases
On April 21, 2026, President Trump posted a collage of eight Iranian women protesters on Truth Social, claiming they faced execution. The images were AI-enhanced, making real photographs appear synthetic, and were amplified by the White House and State Department. Human rights organizations documented that while the women are real political prisoners, the framing was inaccurate and the AI alterations undermined the credibility of their cases. Iran's judiciary dismissed the post as 'fake news,' and the incident has made it harder to defend the women, some of whom face capital charges.
Company
White House
1 source articletechpolicy.press
WF-FUD9Y2Happened 27 Dec 2024Live 5 Oct 2026
Waymo robotaxi and Serve delivery robot collide in Los Angeles
On December 27, 2024, a Waymo robotaxi and a Serve Robotics sidewalk delivery robot collided at an intersection in West Hollywood, Los Angeles. The Waymo vehicle was making a right turn when the Serve bot, under remote supervision, moved into the turning lane. The Waymo Driver system classified the bot as an inanimate object and applied hard braking, but made contact at 4 mph. Neither vehicle was damaged, and both companies stated they are working to avoid similar incidents in the future.
Company
Waymo and Serve Robotics
AI system
Waymo Driver and Serve delivery robot
1 source articletechcrunch.com
WF-FTQNFSHappened 1 Aug 2021Live 5 Oct 2026
Xsolla fires 150 employees after big data analysis tags them as unproductive
Payment services company Xsolla terminated 150 employees at its Perm, Russia office after a big data analysis of their activity in Jira, Confluence, Gmail, chats, and documents tagged them as unengaged and unproductive. CEO Aleksandr Agapitov sent an email to affected employees stating that Xsolla was not for them, sparking backlash. The company later held a press conference, explaining the layoffs were due to slowing growth, and offered affected employees medical insurance and severance pay equal to four to six months' salary.
Company
Xsolla
4 source articlesmcvuk.com
WF-FRB58ULive 5 Oct 2026
ElevenLabs voice-cloning used to create deepfake of Emma Watson reading Mein Kampf
A deepfake audio clip of actress Emma Watson reading Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf was created using voice-cloning technology from UK firm ElevenLabs and posted on 4Chan. ElevenLabs has vowed to tackle abuse of its technology. The incident highlights the potential for misuse of AI-generated audio.
Company
ElevenLabs
AI system
voice-cloning technology
4 source articlesthetimes.co.uk
WF-FPGDXKHappened 18 Mar 2021Live 5 Oct 2026
Xpeng Motors Fined for Collecting Customer Facial Images Without Consent
Xpeng Motors was fined 100,000 yuan by Shanghai's market regulation authority for collecting 431,623 facial images of customers without consent. The company used surveillance cameras with facial recognition from a third-party supplier, Ulucu, to analyze customer traffic. Xpeng stated it removed the devices and deleted all data before the inspection, and that no data was leaked or misused.
Company
Xpeng Motors
4 source articlessohu.com
WF-FNV9X4Live 5 Oct 2026
Arity collected drivers' data via apps for insurance scores
Popular smartphone apps including Life360, MyRadar and GasBuddy reportedly shared users' location and motion data with Arity, an Allstate-owned company. Arity used the data to calculate driving scores that could be sold to car insurers to set rates. Users were said not to be clearly informed that their data would be used for insurance pricing. Life360 and Arity stated that users had to opt in and that no personally identifiable driving data was shared without consent.
Company
Arity
AI system
Arity IQ network
2 source articlesnypost.com
WF-FPELR3Happened 28 Jan 2026Live 5 Oct 2026
Seoul woman allegedly used ChatGPT to plan two murders
A 21-year-old woman in Seoul, South Korea, allegedly used ChatGPT to ask about the effects of mixing sleeping pills and alcohol. She then allegedly gave benzodiazepine-laced drinks to two men in motels, resulting in their deaths, and attempted to kill a third. Police found her chat history and upgraded charges to murder. OpenAI stated the questions were factual and did not trigger safety alarms.
Company
OpenAI
AI system
ChatGPT
1 source articlefortune.com
WF-FM8GUELive 5 Oct 2026
AWS averts AI supply chain disaster after malicious code injected into Amazon Q Developer
AWS discovered that a threat actor had inserted malicious code into the open-source repository of its AI coding assistant, Amazon Q Developer, via a misconfigured GitHub token. The malicious code was distributed with the extension but failed to execute due to a syntax error, averting a potentially catastrophic supply chain attack. AWS promptly revoked credentials, removed the code, and released a patched version, while also enhancing security measures for its build service. The incident highlights the risks of AI agents with broad access and the importance of securing development pipelines.
Company
Amazon Web Services
AI system
Amazon Q Developer
4 source articlesreversinglabs.com
WF-FMEB3HLive 5 Oct 2026
New York City's AI Chatbot Gives Illegal Advice to Businesses
New York City's Microsoft-powered AI chatbot, a pilot program by the NYC Office of Technology and Innovation, was found to be providing false and illegal business advice. Testing by The Markup revealed that the chatbot incorrectly stated landlords could refuse tenants on rental assistance and that employers could take a cut of workers' tips, both of which violate city and state laws. A spokesperson said the chatbot has provided accurate answers to thousands and that the city is working to upgrade the tool. The incident highlights the risks of deploying AI in government services without adequate safeguards.
Company
New York City Office of Technology and Innovation
2 source articlesqz.com
WF-FFWZTSHappened 1 Jan 2016Live 5 Oct 2026
Arkansas algorithm slashed home care for disabled people, causing suffering
In Arkansas and other states, algorithms were used to allocate home care hours for disabled and elderly people, replacing nurse judgments. The system assigned hours based on a scoring tool that failed to account for specific disabilities, leading to drastic cuts. Many suffered severe harm, including bed sores, missed meals, and one death. After lawsuits, Arkansas's system was thrown out in 2018, and Idaho's was declared unconstitutional.
Company
Arkansas state government
1 source articletheguardian.com
WF-FMMEMNHappened 16 Feb 2026Live 5 Oct 2026
Fred's Appliance sued over AI-generated ads using spokeswoman's likeness
Amber George, the longtime spokeswoman for Fred's Appliance, alleges that the company and production company Victory Media used artificial intelligence to create advertisements featuring her voice and likeness without her consent. She discovered a President's Day ad in February 2026 that she had not filmed, which used cloned voice and past footage. After she raised concerns, the companies offered an addendum to allow AI use, which she rejected, ending her 14-year relationship with Fred's. She filed a lawsuit in Spokane Superior Court alleging commercial exploitation; the companies claim they believed the use was authorized and offered compensation.
Company
Fred's Appliance
1 source articlespokesman.com
WF-FLMTVDHappened 1 Apr 2014Live 5 Oct 2026
Prairie Village Police Stop Lawyer at Gunpoint After License Plate Reader Error
In April 2014, lawyer Mark Molner was driving his BMW in Prairie Village, Kansas, when police stopped him because a license plate reader misread a '7' as a '2', falsely identifying his car as a stolen Oldsmobile. An officer approached with his gun drawn but not pointed at Molner, who was shocked. The police later explained the error, and Molner did not pursue legal action.
Company
Prairie Village Police Department
AI system
Elsag PMH-900
2 source articlesarstechnica.com
WF-FDT83LHappened 25 Nov 2018Live 5 Oct 2026
Privacy advocate detained at gunpoint after license plate reader error
Brian Hofer, a privacy advocate, and his brother were detained at gunpoint by Contra Costa County sheriff's deputies after a Vigilant Solutions automated license plate reader mistakenly flagged their rental car as stolen. The error occurred because the car had been recovered but not removed from the hot list database. Hofer filed a federal lawsuit alleging civil rights violations, while the sheriff's office stated deputies followed procedure. The incident highlights concerns about the accuracy and oversight of license plate reader systems.
Company
Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office
AI system
Vigilant Solutions license plate reader
2 source articlesktvu.com
WF-FHYMZFHappened 12 Mar 2025Live 5 Oct 2026
NSW Reconstruction Authority data breach exposes 2031 people's info via ChatGPT
A former temporary staff member of the NSW Reconstruction Authority uploaded personal information of 2031 Northern Rivers Resilient Homes Program applicants to ChatGPT without authorisation. The data included names, contact details, dates of birth, and sensitive health information. The breach occurred between 12 and 15 March 2025. The authority has notified affected individuals, reported the breach to the NSW Privacy Commissioner, and implemented measures to prevent future unauthorised use of AI tools.
Company
NSW Reconstruction Authority
AI system
ChatGPT
2 source articlesnsw.gov.au
WF-FL4379Happened 1 Aug 2024Live 5 Oct 2026
Vietnam arrests three South Korean men over deepfake romance scam ring
Vietnamese police arrested three South Korean men in Danang who allegedly ran a cross-border romance-scam network using deepfake technology to pose as women. The group is accused of scamming victims out of roughly US$1 million and trafficking them into forced online fraud operations in Cambodia. The suspects were subject to Interpol Red Notices and have been handed over to South Korean authorities for extradition.
2 source articlesthestar.com.my
WF-FJQPUZHappened 1 Mar 2026Live 5 Oct 2026
Austin council demands Waymo meeting after cars blocked first responders
Austin City Council member Zo Qadri and colleagues sent a letter to Waymo after a March 1 autonomous vehicle allegedly stopped on a street near a mass shooting, requiring an officer to move it. The city wants to discuss emergency-response procedures at a joint committee meeting on April 29. Waymo had not responded to the letter as of the interview, and the council member expressed frustration that the city lacks authority to regulate autonomous vehicles on its streets.
Company
Waymo
AI system
Waymo Driver
4 source articlescbsaustin.com
WF-FCDFRKHappened 1 Mar 2021Live 5 Oct 2026
Facebook's AI Removes Only 3-5% of Hate Speech, Internal Documents Show
Facebook publicly claimed its AI proactively detected over 90% of hate speech removals, but internal documents leaked by whistleblower Frances Haugen show the actual takedown rate is only 3-5%. The company used a deceptive 'proactive rate' metric to hide the ineffectiveness of its AI content moderation. More than 95% of hate speech on the platform remains, despite years of investment in AI. The revelation came via an SEC complaint, and Facebook responded by citing a different metric, prevalence, which also downplays the problem.
Company
Facebook
2 source articleswired.com
WF-FBS9XFHappened 15 Jun 2022Live 5 Oct 2026
DALL-E Mini Image Generator Produces Racist and Stereotypical Outputs
Futurism tested the DALL-E Mini AI image generator and found it produced racist and stereotypical imagery in response to various prompts. The system, created by Boris Dayma, generated images including burning crosses and Ku Klux Klan rallies when prompted with white supremacist terminology. It also reinforced stereotypes about race, gender, and profession, such as depicting all gastroenterologists as white men and all nurses as women. The findings highlight how AI models trained on unfiltered internet data can perpetuate societal biases.
Company
Boris Dayma
AI system
DALL-E Mini
4 source articlesfuturism.com

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

South African government departments suspend officials over AI-generated fake sources

Michael Smith pleads guilty to AI-powered streaming fraud for $8 million in royalties

Israel deploys Corsight facial recognition in Gaza to locate suspects

Supreme Court strikes down NCLT order based on AI-hallucinated judgments

Norwegian man files complaint after ChatGPT falsely claims he killed his sons

Amazon tracked every minute of JFK8 warehouse workers' shifts, documents show

White House Amplifies AI-Enhanced Images of Iranian Women Prisoners, Undermining Human Rights Cases

Waymo robotaxi and Serve delivery robot collide in Los Angeles

Xsolla fires 150 employees after big data analysis tags them as unproductive

ElevenLabs voice-cloning used to create deepfake of Emma Watson reading Mein Kampf

Xpeng Motors Fined for Collecting Customer Facial Images Without Consent

Arity collected drivers' data via apps for insurance scores

Seoul woman allegedly used ChatGPT to plan two murders

AWS averts AI supply chain disaster after malicious code injected into Amazon Q Developer

New York City's AI Chatbot Gives Illegal Advice to Businesses

Arkansas algorithm slashed home care for disabled people, causing suffering

Fred's Appliance sued over AI-generated ads using spokeswoman's likeness

Prairie Village Police Stop Lawyer at Gunpoint After License Plate Reader Error

Privacy advocate detained at gunpoint after license plate reader error

NSW Reconstruction Authority data breach exposes 2031 people's info via ChatGPT

Vietnam arrests three South Korean men over deepfake romance scam ring

Austin council demands Waymo meeting after cars blocked first responders

Facebook's AI Removes Only 3-5% of Hate Speech, Internal Documents Show

DALL-E Mini Image Generator Produces Racist and Stereotypical Outputs