Inland Revenue warns of AI scam using commissioner's image
Scammers used AI-generated images and messaging to impersonate New Zealand's Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Peter Mersi, in social media ads inviting people to a fake crypto tax webinar. The ads aimed to trick people into giving personal information for identity theft or account access. Inland Revenue received over 3000 scam reports in three months and worked to have the ads removed, but they kept reappearing. The department warned the public about the increasing use of AI in investment scams.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Joel A. Rivera v. Triad Properties Corporation, et al. (N.D. Alabama): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Public Reprimand; Disqualification; Bar…
The AI generated fabricated legal citations that were presented to the court, affecting the defendants and the judicial process.
- Company involved
- Burrill Watkins LLC
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT
1 source article · read the reporting →
UberEats algorithm change causes pay cuts and financial hardship for car drivers
A survey by the Transport Workers' Union found that UberEats car drivers experienced a 50% pay cut after the company changed its delivery allocation algorithm to preference cyclists and scooter riders. Drivers reported bankruptcy, homelessness, and inability to support their families. The TWU has called for regulation of the gig economy and delivered a letter to the NSW shadow minister.
- Company involved
- UberEats
- AI system involved
- UberEats platform
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Shipt's new V2 algorithm reduces pay for 41% of workers, study finds
A study by MIT Media Lab and Coworker.org found that Shipt's new V2 payment algorithm reduced pay for 41% of workers by an average of 11% per shop. The algorithm, rolled out in September 2020, replaced a transparent payment system with a black-box model. Workers pooled data to analyze the impact, revealing uneven distribution of earnings.
- Company involved
- Shipt
- AI system involved
- V2
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Adobe uses Creative Cloud user data to train AI
Adobe's content analysis feature may scan Creative Cloud and Document Cloud files to train machine learning models, including object recognition in Lightroom and Liquid Mode in Acrobat. The company says it may analyze images, audio, video, text and other documents stored on its servers. Adobe offers an opt-out in account privacy settings, but the article notes the company did not ask first.
- Company involved
- Adobe
- AI system involved
- Content analysis
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Google and HCA Healthcare partner to analyze 32 million patient records
Google Cloud has announced a partnership with HCA Healthcare to analyze around 32 million patient records. The anonymized data will be used to develop algorithms that could advise doctors on treatment options. Privacy advocates have raised concerns about the data sharing and the potential for AI to re-identify patients. HCA insists that patient-identifiable information will be stripped and that access will be tightly controlled.
- Company involved
- HCA Healthcare
- AI system involved
- Google Cloud
9 source articles · read the reporting →
USPS algorithm RRECS causes pay cuts for two-thirds of rural mail carriers
The United States Postal Service (USPS) implemented a new algorithm, RRECS, to evaluate rural carrier routes and determine pay. Due to flaws in how carriers scanned packages, the algorithm underestimated route times, resulting in pay cuts for 66 per cent of rural carriers, some losing thousands of dollars annually. Carriers report that they were not adequately trained on the system and that the cuts are scheduled to take effect, though they have been postponed multiple times. The USPS stated that the system is the result of a nationally negotiated agreement.
- Company involved
- United States Postal Service
- AI system involved
- RRECS
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Amazon sellers lose thousands after RepricerExpress pricing glitch
A software glitch in RepricerExpress's automated repricing system caused products sold by Amazon sellers to be priced at 1p, leading to significant financial losses for the sellers. RepricerExpress apologised but did not offer compensation, while Amazon said it had reached out to affected sellers but many reported no response. Some sellers have instructed lawyers to take legal action against RepricerExpress and Amazon.
- Company involved
- RepricerExpress
- AI system involved
- RepricerExpress
10 source articles · read the reporting →
UnitedHealthcare sued for using AI to deny Medicare Advantage patients care
A class action complaint alleges that UnitedHealthcare and its subsidiary naviHealth deployed an artificial intelligence model to override treating physicians' determinations of medically necessary care for elderly Medicare Advantage patients. The complaint claims the AI model has a known 90% error rate and wrongfully denied patients care. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, seeks damages on behalf of the estates of two deceased patients and all others similarly situated.
- Company involved
- UnitedHealthcare, Inc.
10 source articles · read the reporting →
ScaleFactor reportedly failed to deliver promised automated bookkeeping software
ScaleFactor, an Austin-based startup, is reported to have failed to deliver the automated, real-time bookkeeping tools it promised customers, instead relying on human bookkeepers and a Filipino contract accounting firm. The company told Forbes in June that it was shutting down, initially blaming the pandemic, but Forbes later reported that its problems predated Covid-19. Investors reportedly came to see the company as more of a services business than a software platform, and pulled funding after a pivot to a marketplace model. No legal or regulatory action is reported.
- Company involved
- ScaleFactor
10 source articles · read the reporting →
UnitedHealth used ALERT algorithm to limit mental health coverage, regulators found
ProPublica reports that UnitedHealth Group's Optum subsidiary used the ALERT algorithm to flag mental health patients and therapists as outliers, leading to therapy coverage denials. Regulators in California, Massachusetts and New York alleged this breached the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, and UnitedHealth agreed to restrict the system in those jurisdictions. The company denies wrongdoing and says its programmes are compliant. Affected patients, including Medicaid enrollees, were left to pay out-of-pocket or go without care.
- Company involved
- UnitedHealth Group
- AI system involved
- ALERT
5 source articles · read the reporting →
In re BFI Waste Sys. of Tenn. (M.D. Tennessee): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Public reprimand; Monetary sanction
The AI generated false legal quotations that were submitted to the court in a legal brief.
- Company involved
- Ringger
1 source article · read the reporting →
Reaves Law Firm, PLLC v. Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, et al. (W.D. Tennessee): AI-hallucinated content in court…
The AI generated fictitious legal authorities and arguments that were filed in a court motion, misleading the court and opposing counsel.
- Company involved
- Reaves Law Firm, PLLC
1 source article · read the reporting →
EviCore denied heart catheterization for patient using algorithm
In fall 2021, Little John Cupp's doctor requested a left heart catheterization exam. EviCore, a company hired by UnitedHealthcare, denied the request twice using an algorithm called 'the dial' that adjusts thresholds for review. The algorithm flagged the request for review, and EviCore's doctors determined it was not medically necessary. Cupp did not receive the procedure and his symptoms continued.
- Company involved
- EviCore (a Cigna company)
- AI system involved
- the dial
6 source articles · read the reporting →
IRCC uses AI triage for Temporary Resident Visa applications
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses an AI system called Advanced Analytics to triage Temporary Resident Visa applications from India and China. The system categorizes applications into tiers, with Tier 1 approved automatically and others sent to human officers. Critics allege the system lacks transparency and may introduce bias, leading to visa refusals without clear rationale. The author, a Canadian immigration lawyer, is filing Federal Court cases on behalf of clients affected by refusals.
- Company involved
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
- AI system involved
- Advanced Analytics Triage of Overseas Temporary Resident Visa Applications
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Amazon merchants complain about AI review summaries focusing on negatives
Amazon introduced an AI-powered feature to generate summaries of customer product reviews. Merchants reported that the AI inaccurately highlights negative feedback, even when only a small percentage of reviews are critical. The summaries may exaggerate negative themes, potentially harming sales. Amazon acknowledged the issue and said it is working to refine the technology based on seller feedback.
- Company involved
- Amazon
- AI system involved
- AI-powered review highlights
5 source articles · read the reporting →
California EDD's automated fraud detection wrongly suspended 600,000 legitimate unemployment claims
In January 2021, the California Employment Development Department used Thompson Reuters automated batch review software to flag 1.1 million unemployment claims as potentially fraudulent. EDD stopped payments on those claims without prior notice. Later, over 600,000 were confirmed as legitimate after claimants used ID.me to verify their identity. The incident highlights the trade-off between fraud prevention and timely benefit access.
- Company involved
- California Employment Development Department (EDD)
- AI system involved
- Thompson Reuters Automated Batch Review
7 source articles · read the reporting →
UNOS liver allocation policy reduces transplants in poorer states
The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) implemented a new liver allocation policy in 2020 called the acuity circles system, which prioritizes the sickest patients regardless of location. An analysis by The Markup and The Washington Post found that the policy led to sharp declines in liver transplants in several Southern and Midwestern states and Puerto Rico, while increasing transplants in New York and California. Patients in affected states allege the system disadvantages poorer regions, and hospitals have sued to overturn the policy.
- Company involved
- United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)
- AI system involved
- Acuity circles liver allocation policy
10 source articles · read the reporting →
NHS plans AI to listen to appointments and generate notes
The UK's National Health Service announced plans to use AI to automatically generate notes from patient appointments. Health Secretary Victoria Atkins said the scheme would reduce admin time. Privacy campaigners raised concerns about data security and accuracy, citing an incident where AI misheard the chief medical officer's name. The Department of Health and Social Care stated that patient confidentiality remains a top priority.
- Company involved
- National Health Service (NHS)
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Eventbrite algorithm recommended illegal opioid sales to addiction recovery seekers
Eventbrite's recommendation algorithm promoted thousands of listings selling illegal prescription drugs like oxycodone and Xanax alongside addiction recovery events. The listings, which appeared in search results and related events, directed users to unlicensed online pharmacies. Eventbrite acknowledged the issue and removed the listings after WIRED alerted them.
- Company involved
- Eventbrite
- AI system involved
- Eventbrite recommendation algorithm
4 source articles · read the reporting →
AI-generated article misstates Roadzen's Q1 revenue expectations
An AI-generated article on The Motley Fool incorrectly stated that Roadzen's analyst expectations for Q1 revenue were over $21 million, implying a revenue miss of more than 50%. Roadzen clarified that these figures were never issued by its covering analysts and that its actual revenue of $10.9 million was in line with estimates. The Motley Fool later corrected the article and added an editor's note acknowledging the error.
- Company involved
- The Motley Fool
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Meta's cross-check program delays removal of violating content for privileged users
The Oversight Board's policy advisory opinion on Meta's cross-check program found that the system grants certain users, such as business partners and celebrities, additional human review before removing violating content, while ordinary users face immediate removal. This unequal treatment allows potentially harmful content to remain on the platform for days, and Meta has failed to track whether the program improves accuracy. The Board made 32 recommendations to address these flaws.
- Company involved
- Meta
- AI system involved
- cross-check program
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Tennessee's TennCare Connect algorithm illegally denied thousands Medicaid benefits
A U.S. District Court judge ruled that Tennessee's TennCare Connect system, built by Deloitte for over $400 million, illegally denied thousands of low-income residents and people with disabilities Medicaid and disability benefits due to programming and data errors. The system automatically terminated coverage without properly considering eligibility for all available programs. A class action lawsuit filed in 2020 resulted in the ruling.
- Company involved
- TennCare (Tennessee Medicaid)
- AI system involved
- TennCare Connect
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Deloitte software glitches wrongly remove Texans from Medicaid
Advocacy groups filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission alleging that Deloitte's eligibility software, TIERS, used by Texas Medicaid, wrongly disenrolled qualified recipients due to glitches. Nearly 1.8 million Texans lost coverage after the pandemic pause ended, with many errors attributed to procedural issues but some linked to system malfunctions. Deloitte denies the claims, while the state says it restored care for at least 90,000 people. The FTC has not yet responded to the complaint.
- Company involved
- Texas Health and Human Services Commission
- AI system involved
- TIERS
6 source articles · read the reporting →
