DOGE Used ChatGPT to Cancel Museum's HVAC Grant as DEI
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) used ChatGPT to screen National Endowment for the Humanities grant proposals for DEI-related content. The system flagged a $349,000 grant to the High Point Museum in North Carolina for an HVAC replacement, leading to its cancellation. The museum lost approximately $104,700 after recouping 70% through a termination clause. The use of AI was revealed in a lawsuit alleging DOGE violated First Amendment and equal protection rights.
- Company involved
- Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT
4 source articles · read the reporting →
California State Bar Flags Over 3,000 Online Bar Exam Takers for Possible Cheating
In October 2020, the California State Bar administered its first online bar exam using ExamSoft's AI-enabled proctoring software. The software flagged 3,190 out of 9,301 test takers for potential rule violations such as gazing off-screen or having food. The state bar is reviewing each case, which could require affected individuals to retake the exam, delaying their ability to practice law. Test takers have expressed distress and hired attorneys to contest the allegations.
- Company involved
- California State Bar
- AI system involved
- ExamSoft
2 source articles · read the reporting →
PredictiveHire builds AI to predict job hopping from interviews
PredictiveHire, an AI hiring firm, developed a machine-learning model that analyses candidates' open-ended interview responses to predict their likelihood of 'job hopping'. The company used data from 45,899 applicants to build the 'flight risk' assessment, which it advertises as coming soon. Scholars warn that such tools can suppress wages by screening out workers who might seek better pay or conditions, continuing a historical trend of using personality tests to identify potential labour organisers.
- Company involved
- PredictiveHire
- AI system involved
- Phai
1 source article · read the reporting →
ICE AI error sent new officers to field without proper training
An AI tool used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to screen resumes mistakenly classified applicants without law enforcement backgrounds as prior officers, sending them to a shorter online training program instead of the full academy. The error occurred in mid-fall during a recruitment surge and affected many new hires. ICE began manually reviewing resumes and bringing affected officers back for proper training. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment.
- Company involved
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
2 source articles · read the reporting →
UIUC students petition to stop Proctorio exam proctoring over privacy concerns
A petition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) alleges that Proctorio, an online exam proctoring system, violates student privacy by accessing websites, downloads, screen content, and app settings. The petition claims the terms of service allow monitoring by 'any other means necessary', which students find unsettling. The petition, created on September 30, 2020, gathered 1,087 supporters but does not report any specific incident of harm. It calls on UIUC to discontinue use of Proctorio in favour of alternatives.
- Company involved
- UIUC
- AI system involved
- Proctorio
9 source articles · read the reporting →
PwC develops facial recognition tool to monitor employees working from home
Accounting giant PwC has developed a facial recognition tool that logs when employees are absent from their computer screens while working from home. The tool, intended for financial institutions, requires workers to provide written reasons for any absences, including toilet breaks. Commentators have criticised the tool as a huge invasion of privacy, with concerns about damage to trust and increased stress. PwC stated that the technology is designed to help regulated institutions meet compliance obligations and that voluntary consent of traders is essential.
- Company involved
- PwC
8 source articles · 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 →
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Uses Secret Algorithm ATLAS to Flag Naturalized Citizens for Denaturalization
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security operates a secret algorithm called ATLAS that screens naturalized citizens for potential fraud or national security concerns, flagging them for denaturalization. The system, hosted on Amazon Web Services, analyzes biometric and other data from various federal databases, and its rules are undisclosed. Human reviewers then decide whether to refer flagged individuals to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for possible deportation. Critics allege the algorithm relies on inaccurate data and lacks transparency, leading to wrongful denaturalization proceedings.
- Company involved
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- AI system involved
- ATLAS
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Meta tracks employee keystrokes on Google, LinkedIn, Wikipedia for AI training
Meta is using an internal tool, Model Capability Initiative (MCI), to capture employees' keystrokes, mouse movements and screen contents on work computers, including on sites such as Google, LinkedIn, Wikipedia and Slack, to train AI agents. Meta confirmed the project and said safeguards protect sensitive content and that the data is not used for other purposes. Employees raised concerns in internal messages that the tool could expose passwords, product details and personal information. A Meta memo said staff can avoid capture by not doing personal work on work computers.
- Company involved
- Meta
- AI system involved
- Model Capability Initiative (MCI)
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Broward College student flagged by Honorlock and accused of cheating
A 17-year-old Black student at Broward College was flagged by Honorlock, a remote proctoring system, during an online biology exam in February 2022. Her professor reviewed the recording and accused her of academic dishonesty for looking down and away from the screen; the college found her responsible for noncompliance and gave her a zero and a warning. The student says she was only thinking and fidgeting, and the article reports that the video is ambiguous. Honorlock says it does not definitively identify cheaters and the final decision rests with the school.
- Company involved
- Broward College
- AI system involved
- Honorlock
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Chinese police use face recognition to monitor Uyghur minority
Chinese police departments in multiple provinces have deployed facial recognition systems from AI companies such as Yitu, Megvii, SenseTime, and CloudWalk to identify and track Uyghur people, a Muslim minority. The systems scan crowds and trigger alerts when a Uyghur individual is detected, enabling targeted surveillance across cities including Hangzhou, Wenzhou, and Sanmenxia. Documents and interviews show that one system in Sanmenxia conducted over 500,000 screenings in a month, flagging thousands as Uyghur. Police use this technology to monitor and control the Uyghur population, who have been subjected to mass detention and other repressive measures. The article reports these practices from interviews with anonymous sources and procurement documents.
- Company involved
- Chinese police departments (various provinces)
10 source articles · read the reporting →
TSA body scanners trigger invasive searches of transgender travellers
Transgender and gender nonconforming travellers in the US allege that Transportation Security Administration full-body scanners, which require officers to select a binary gender, routinely flag their bodies as anomalies, leading to humiliating and invasive pat-downs. Travellers including Olivia, Terra Fox and Allister McGuire describe being pressured to expose their genitals or strip in private rooms after alarms, with one woman saying she was forced to show her penis to female officers who then cleared her. The TSA says it is committed to treating all travellers equally and has introduced new transgender awareness training, but internal complaint data shows a disproportionate number of civil rights complaints relate to screening of transgender people. ProPublica’s review of 174 traveller accounts found that most did not file a formal complaint, often from fear of outing themselves or not knowing how.
- Company involved
- Transportation Security Administration
- AI system involved
- Full-body scanner
1 source article · read the reporting →
