Portland Water Bureau AI pilot offers discount to billionaire CEO
The Portland Water Bureau used a machine learning system in a randomised control trial to identify customers for its financial assistance programme. The system selected Columbia Sportswear CEO Tim Boyle, a billionaire and one of the city's largest residential water consumers, for a 40% water bill discount. Boyle declined the discount, stating it should go to someone who needs it. The bureau is testing whether the SERVUS algorithm can accurately identify customers' ability to pay.
- Company involved
- Portland Water Bureau
- AI system involved
- Smart Discount Program
1 source article · read the reporting →
Blind people and advocates criticise AccessiBe for worsening website access
Blind users and disability advocates say AccessiBe, an automated web accessibility overlay, disrupts screen readers on websites, making some sites unnavigable and preventing users from paying rent, shopping or teaching. More than 400 people signed an open letter asking companies to stop using automated overlays. Some blind users have brought ADA lawsuits against companies that use AccessiBe; one case was referred to mediation and another was settled. AccessiBe denies that it was at fault, saying critics do not give specific examples.
- Company involved
- AccessiBe
- AI system involved
- AccessiBe
10 source articles · read the reporting →
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 involved
- NSW Reconstruction Authority
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT
2 source articles · read the reporting →
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 involved
- Arity
- AI system involved
- Arity IQ network
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Universities' use of race in student risk algorithms harms Black and Latinx students
The Markup found that several universities, including UMass Amherst, UW–Milwaukee, and Texas A&M, use EAB's Navigate software which incorporates race as a predictor of student dropout risk. The algorithms label Black and Latinx students as high risk at disproportionately high rates compared to White students. Students, professors, and experts worry this is pushing minority students out of math and science majors through biased advising.
- Company involved
- University of Massachusetts Amherst,University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee,Texas A&M University,Texas Tech University,South Dakota State University
- AI system involved
- Navigate
1 source article · read the reporting →
Jordan's National Aid Fund Algorithm Denies Cash Assistance to Vulnerable Households
Human Rights Watch reported that Jordan’s Takaful cash transfer programme, run by the National Aid Fund and financed by the World Bank, uses an algorithm to rank households by estimated economic vulnerability and select recipients. The report found that the algorithm relies on inaccurate self-reported income and questionable indicators such as car ownership and utility use, causing eligible poor families to be denied benefits or receive reduced payments. The World Bank and NAF defended the programme and its targeting approach.
- Company involved
- National Aid Fund (NAF)
- AI system involved
- Takaful (Unified Cash Transfer Program)
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Idaho Medicaid used secret formula to cut assistance for disabled adults
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare used a secret formula to drastically cut Medicaid assistance for adults with developmental disabilities, claiming the formula was a trade secret. The ACLU of Idaho filed a class action lawsuit, K.W. v. Armstrong, in 2012, alleging the cuts violated due process. A federal court struck down the formula in 2016 and ordered a new system, but as of 2024, a fair system has not yet been implemented.
- Company involved
- Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
10 source articles · read the reporting →
INSS AI Denies Rural Worker's Pension After Misidentifying Her as a Man
A rural worker in Brazil, Josélia de Brito, had her pension application through the Meu INSS app automatically denied after the AI system misidentified her as a man. The INSS deployed the system to speed up benefit decisions, but experts say it struggles with complex rural cases. The case is cited as evidence that automation may exclude vulnerable people with limited digital access.
- Company involved
- Instituto Nacional do Seguro Social (INSS)
- AI system involved
- Meu INSS
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Ibrahim Diallo fired by automated HR system, locked out for three weeks
Ibrahim Diallo, a software engineer in California, was automatically terminated by an HR system after a script triggered by a missed contract renewal revoked his access and disabled his key card. Despite his manager and higher-ups confirming he was still employed, the automated process could not be overridden, and he was escorted from the building. It took three weeks for the company to resolve the issue by rehiring him as a new employee, after which he quit. The incident highlights the risks of fully automated termination systems without human override.
10 source articles · read the reporting →
France: CNAF's discriminatory risk-scoring algorithm must be stopped
Amnesty International and coalition partners filed a complaint with the Council of State against CNAF's risk-scoring algorithm used to detect benefit overpayments. The algorithm assigns risk scores based on criteria that discriminate against vulnerable groups, including those with disabilities, single parents, and low-income households. The complaint alleges the system violates human rights to equality and privacy. The EU AI Act's social scoring ban may apply, but its definition remains unclear.
- Company involved
- CNAF
2 source articles · read the reporting →
UDR Sued Over Alleged Use of RealPage Algorithm to Set Rents in San Diego
A class action lawsuit alleges that UDR, Inc. used RealPage's YieldStar algorithmic pricing software to set rental rates and occupancy levels for its San Diego properties, in violation of a local ordinance. The suit claims the software relied on nonpublic competitor data, contributing to inflated rents and making housing less affordable. The lawsuit, filed in July 2026, seeks to represent all affected tenants. UDR has previously acknowledged using YieldStar as one tool among others in its decision-making.
- Company involved
- UDR, Inc.
- AI system involved
- RealPage YieldStar
1 source article · read the reporting →
EEOC sues iTutorGroup for automated rejection of older tutor applicants
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleges that tutoring provider iTutorGroup programmed its recruitment software automatically to reject female applicants aged 55 or older and male applicants aged 60 or older. More than 200 qualified US-based applicants were denied work in 2020. The EEOC has filed a lawsuit in the Eastern District of New York seeking back pay and damages.
- Company involved
- iTutorGroup
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 →
Google AI Overviews provide inaccurate finance information in 43% of searches
A study by The College Investor found that Google's AI Overviews provided misleading or inaccurate information in 43% of 100 personal finance-related searches. The AI-generated answers included outdated tax rules and incorrect student loan repayment plan details. One user believed she could convert her 529 plan to a Roth IRA in California, which is not allowed. Google has not responded to requests for comment.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- AI Overviews
3 source articles · read the reporting →
DWP's Universal Credit algorithm causes underpayment and hardship for claimants
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) uses an automated means-testing algorithm in its Universal Credit system that miscalculates earnings due to a design flaw, leading to underpayments and fluctuating benefit amounts. Claimants such as Janet R. received payments hundreds of pounds short, forcing them into debt and foodbank use. A Court of Appeal ruling in June 2020 ordered the DWP to fix the flaw, but the department had not yet fully implemented the remedy at the time of writing.
- Company involved
- Department for Work and Pensions
- AI system involved
- Universal Credit
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Meta sues Voyager Labs for scraping Facebook and Instagram user data
Meta filed a legal action against Voyager Labs, alleging that the company used fake accounts and proprietary software to scrape user data from Facebook and Instagram. The scraping collected profile information, posts, friends lists, photos and comments. Meta disabled Voyager's accounts and sought a permanent injunction. The case was settled in December 2024, with Voyager agreeing to a permanent injunction and monetary payment.
- Company involved
- Voyager Labs
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Allstate's proposed retention model charged big spenders more in Maryland
Allstate proposed an auto insurance rate adjustment plan in Maryland using a retention model algorithm that varied premium changes based on existing premiums. The algorithm would have increased rates up to 20% for customers already paying the highest premiums while capping increases at 5% for others, and would have denied meaningful discounts to thousands owed reductions. The Maryland Insurance Administration rejected the plan as discriminatory, but Allstate claims it was withdrawn and has continued proposing similar models elsewhere. The proposal never took effect in Maryland.
- Company involved
- Allstate Corporation
- AI system involved
- retention model
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Study finds Italian car insurers charge more based on birthplace
A study by the Universities of Padua, Udine and Carnegie Mellon found that Italian car insurers, including Genertel, Mps, Quixa and Con.Te, use birthplace and citizenship in pricing algorithms, charging some drivers over €1,000 more. The practice was ruled against in a 2018 decree involving Linear, but the study says it continues. The companies contacted denied or explained the findings.
- Company involved
- Genertel, Mps, Quixa, Con.Te
8 source articles · read the reporting →
LA's VI-SPDAT housing scoring system gives lower priority to Black and Latino people
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority uses the VI-SPDAT scoring system to prioritise unhoused people for subsidised permanent housing. An investigation by The Markup found that Black and Latino people consistently receive lower vulnerability scores than White people, leading to lower priority for housing. The agency has acknowledged the racial disparities and is working on a new tool, but continues to use the current system.
- Company involved
- Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority
- AI system involved
- VI-SPDAT
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Nevada's AI grad score model cuts funding for low-income students
Nevada replaced its income-based school funding formula with a machine learning model developed by Infinite Campus that generates a 'grad score' for each student. The model reduced the number of students eligible for supplemental funding from 288,000 to 63,000, disproportionately affecting low-income students. Critics argue the model lacks transparency and de-emphasizes economic status, potentially leaving many high-poverty schools underfunded.
- Company involved
- Nevada Department of Education
- AI system involved
- Grad score model
7 source articles · read the reporting →
LoanDepot algorithm denied mortgage to Black couple in Charlotte
In August 2019, Crystal Marie and Eskias McDaniels, a Black couple, were denied a mortgage for a house in Charlotte, North Carolina, by loanDepot's automated underwriting algorithm. The algorithm rejected the application because Crystal Marie was a contractor, not a full-time employee, despite her high credit score and income. After the couple enlisted their real estate agent and employer to intervene, the lender reversed the decision and cleared them to close. The couple alleged that race played a role in the denial, which loanDepot denied.
- Company involved
- loanDepot
- AI system involved
- Classic FICO and Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac automated underwriting software
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 →
Immigration NZ uses data model to predict likely troublemakers among overstayers
Immigration New Zealand has been piloting a data modelling system that uses demographic information such as age, gender, and ethnicity of overstayers to predict which individuals are likely to commit crime or incur hospital debts. The system then targets those individuals for accelerated deportation. Critics, including immigration lawyers and a lobby group, have likened the programme to 'Minority Report' and allege it amounts to racial profiling. Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway only learned of the programme on the day of the article and said he would seek a full briefing, but maintained it is not racial profiling and does not breach the Human Rights Act.
- Company involved
- Immigration New Zealand
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Cigna StressWaves Test found unreliable and invalid in independent study
A study published in Scientific Reports evaluated the Cigna StressWaves Test (CSWT), an AI tool that claims to assess psychological stress from speech. The study found that the CSWT had poor test-retest reliability and poor validity compared to the Perceived Stress Scale. The authors warned that widespread availability of the tool could lead to misleading results and negative consequences for users making healthcare decisions. Cigna has not publicly responded to the findings.
- Company involved
- Cigna
- AI system involved
- Cigna StressWaves Test
4 source articles · read the reporting →
