N-Tech.lab's FindFace used to identify St Petersburg metro passengers without consent
Egor Tsvetkov photographed passengers on the St Petersburg metro without their permission and used N-Tech.lab's facial recognition service FindFace to match their faces to public Vkontakte profiles. He published the results in an art project called 'Your Face is Big Data', saying he wanted to show how 'digital narcissism' can lead to stalking. Privacy advocates said the project was ethically problematic because the subjects had not consented and their identities were exposed. FindFace had been launched by N-Tech.lab in February 2016.
- Company involved
- N-Tech.lab
- AI system involved
- FindFace
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Amazon Fresh drops flawed AI-powered Just Walk Out checkout system
Amazon is discontinuing its 'Just Walk Out' technology from Amazon Fresh grocery stores after the system failed to work reliably. The system, which used computer vision and AI to automatically charge customers, actually required over 1,000 human reviewers in India to manually verify transactions. Reports indicate that human review was needed for 700 out of every 1,000 sales, far exceeding Amazon's target. Amazon will replace the system with self-checkout shopping carts.
- Company involved
- Amazon
- AI system involved
- Just Walk Out
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Teething problems in Mater Dei's medicine robots addressed
The Malta Union for Midwives and Nurses claimed that a €23 million investment in two computerised drug administration robots, Mario and Sophia, at Mater Dei Hospital had resulted in a complete failure. However, sources within the Health Ministry said that most teething problems have been addressed and that the supplier has not been paid yet. They reported that out of over 1,700 medication rounds, only four required a contingency plan.
- Company involved
- Mater Dei Hospital
- AI system involved
- Mario and Sophia
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Italian privacy regulator investigates OpenAI's Sora video generation model
The Italian Data Protection Authority (Garante Privacy) has opened an investigation into OpenAI's new AI model 'Sora', which creates short videos from text instructions. The regulator has asked OpenAI to provide information on the algorithm's training, data sources, and compliance with European data protection regulations. OpenAI must respond within 20 days.
- Company involved
- OpenAI
- AI system involved
- Sora
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Leonardo AI misused to create nonconsensual explicit images of celebrities
Leonardo AI, an AI image-generating platform backed by Samsung, has been misused to create nonconsensual explicit images of celebrities. The platform allows users to generate images using user-generated Stable Diffusion models. Users bypassed ethical guardrails by misspelling celebrity names and using sexually suggestive terms. The misuse was reported by 404 Media.
- Company involved
- Leonardo AI
- AI system involved
- Leonardo AI
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Amazon MGM Studios sued over copyright and alleged AI voice cloning in Road House remake
The screenwriter of the original 1989 film Road House, R. Lance Hill, is suing Amazon MGM Studios for copyright infringement over the upcoming remake. The lawsuit also alleges that Amazon used generative AI to clone actors' voices to finish the remake during last year's Hollywood strikes. Amazon MGM Studios denied using AI, stating that filmmakers were instructed not to use AI and that any AI use would have been by filmmakers during editing.
- Company involved
- Amazon MGM Studios
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Storm-1376 used AI-generated fake audio during Taiwan election, Microsoft reports
Microsoft's Threat Analysis Center reported that the Chinese state-linked group Storm-1376 posted suspected AI-generated fake audio of former Taiwanese presidential candidate Terry Gou endorsing another candidate on election day in January 2024. Gou had made no such statement, and YouTube removed the content before it reached a wide audience. The group has also used AI-generated memes and news anchors as part of influence operations in Taiwan and the United States.
- Company involved
- Storm-1376 (also known as Spamouflage and Dragonbridge)
7 source articles · read the reporting →
AEMPS withdraws AI medicines tool MeQA after detecting errors
AEMPS launched MeQA, an artificial intelligence tool for answering public questions about medicines, on 13 May 2025. Two days later it withdrew the tool after detecting that some responses contained errors. The agency said that most answers were correct but that the errors could affect patient safety, and that it would restore the service as soon as possible.
- Company involved
- Agencia Española de Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios (AEMPS)
- AI system involved
- MeQA
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Google Maps falsely labels German autobahns as closed, causing traffic jams
On May 29, 2025, a glitch in Google Maps falsely displayed stop signs on German autobahns and highways, indicating they were closed. The misinformation caused traffic jams as drivers avoided the routes. Google acknowledged the issue and removed the incorrect closures, but the cause remains unclear, with speculation that AI features may have hallucinated the data.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google Maps
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Manchester Arena's Evolv weapon scanners fail to detect some knives, report finds
ASM Global's use of Evolv Express AI weapon scanners at Manchester Arena has been questioned after a private report found the system failed to detect large knives in 42% of walkthroughs. The report, produced by NCS4 and obtained by IPVM, also suggested the scanners may miss some bombs and components. Evolv did not dispute the findings but said it communicates capabilities and limitations to customers. ASM Global declined to comment on security matters.
- Company involved
- ASM Global
- AI system involved
- Evolv Express
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Network Rail denies using AI cameras to detect passengers' emotions
Network Rail conducted a trial of AI cameras at major stations in 2022 that analysed demographic details and reportedly assessed emotions. Documents obtained by Big Brother Watch indicate the system was capable of determining whether a passenger was happy, sad or angry, with potential use for measuring satisfaction and advertising. Network Rail denied that any emotion analysis took place and stated the image analysis for demographic details has ended. Big Brother Watch has submitted a complaint to the Information Commissioner about the trial.
- Company involved
- Network Rail
- AI system involved
- Amazon Rekognition
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Wimbledon's AI feature 'Catch Me Up' generates inaccurate player profiles
Wimbledon's new AI-powered 'Catch Me Up' feature, developed with IBM, generated inaccurate player profiles and match descriptions on the first day of the 2024 championships. The system incorrectly described Emma Raducanu as the British No 1 instead of No 3, and misstated her match wins. It also described a match between Zhang Shuai and Daria Kasatkina as an 'eagerly anticipated encounter between two up-and-coming players,' despite both being established players. The errors were corrected after a user pointed them out on social media, and the All England Club acknowledged the issue, stating the feature would evolve with human checks.
- Company involved
- All England Club
- AI system involved
- Catch Me Up
6 source articles · read the reporting →
OpenDream AI art site allowed users to generate child sexual abuse material
OpenDream, an AI image generation platform, allowed users to generate and publicly display child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and non-consensual deepfakes from at least December 2023 until July 2024. The platform, operated by CBM Media Pte Ltd in Singapore, offered paid plans with NSFW prompts and models. Bellingcat reported the site to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. After Bellingcat's inquiry, the CSAM was removed from the site and search engines, and Google terminated OpenDream's AdSense account.
- Company involved
- CBM Media Pte Ltd
- AI system involved
- OpenDream
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Delta uses AI from Fetcherr for domestic ticket pricing
Delta Air Lines is using generative AI from Fetcherr to determine some domestic flight prices, currently covering 3% of its network with plans to reach 20% by end of 2025. Democratic senators expressed concern that the AI could be used for individualized pricing based on personal data, leading to higher fares. Delta denies using personal data in pricing and states it complies with regulations. No actual harm has been reported.
- Company involved
- Delta Air Lines
- AI system involved
- Fetcherr
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Check Point Research finds Google Bard can generate phishing emails and malware
Check Point Research analysed Google's generative AI platform Bard and found it could be used to create phishing emails, malware keyloggers, and basic ransomware code with minimal manipulation. Bard's anti-abuse restrictors were significantly lower than ChatGPT's, making it easier to generate malicious content. The researchers demonstrated these capabilities in controlled tests but did not report actual harm to specific individuals or organisations.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Bard
4 source articles · read the reporting →
OpenAI's Sora 2 allowed unauthorized use of Bryan Cranston's likeness
OpenAI's Sora 2 video generation platform allowed users to create images of actor Bryan Cranston without his permission, leading to a video of his 'Breaking Bad' character interacting with Michael Jackson. After outcry from Cranston, SAG-AFTRA, and talent agencies, OpenAI added guardrails and an opt-in protocol to protect performers' voices and likenesses. Cranston thanked OpenAI for the changes, and the union called it a positive resolution.
- Company involved
- OpenAI
- AI system involved
- Sora 2
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Starship delivery robots blocked wheelchair users at University of Pittsburgh
In October 2019, Starship Technologies' autonomous delivery robots blocked wheelchair users on the University of Pittsburgh campus. Doctoral student Emily Ackerman reported that a robot blocked the only accessible sidewalk entrance, trapping her near traffic. Another wheelchair user, Alisa Grishman, had a similar incident earlier that month. The university and Starship paused the robot program for review.
- Company involved
- Starship Technologies
- AI system involved
- Starship delivery robot
4 source articles · read the reporting →
DWP algorithm approved Kickstart gateways with no trading history or based abroad
An FE Week investigation found that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) approved dozens of companies as Kickstart gateways through automated due diligence checks using the Cabinet Office Spotlight Tool, although some had little or no trading history or were based abroad. The DWP said gateways were subject to stringent checks and later said human checks were also used. After the findings were shared with the Treasury and the DWP, the department stopped taking gateway applications and scrapped the requirement for small employers to use gateways from 3 February.
- Company involved
- Department for Work and Pensions
- AI system involved
- Cabinet Office Spotlight Tool
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Edinburgh Airport AI trial gives passengers different parking prices
Edinburgh Airport admitted it was trialling an AI system that randomly set higher or lower parking prices for online bookers, with customers receiving different quotes for the same service. The Scottish Passenger Agents Association called for the trial to be conducted in controlled 'lab' conditions rather than on the public. The airport said the AI's pricing closely matched staff-set prices and the findings would evaluate whether to adopt the system.
- Company involved
- Edinburgh Airport
- AI system involved
- AI trial for parking pricing
3 source articles · read the reporting →
AENA fined €10m for GDPR breach over facial recognition pilot
AENA, Spain's state-owned airport manager, was fined just over €10 million by the Spanish data protection agency for breaching the GDPR. During a pilot project of a new facial recognition system, AENA failed to submit a data protection impact assessment that complied with GDPR requirements. The company has one month from notification to lodge an appeal for reconsideration.
- Company involved
- AENA
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Amazon's AI shopping tool lists products from retailers without consent
Amazon launched a program called Shop Direct and a 'Buy for Me' AI agent that scrapes products from other retailers' websites and lists them on Amazon without their permission. Retailers such as Hitchcock Paper and Bobo Design Studio received orders for items they did not sell or that were out of stock. Amazon stated that businesses can opt out by emailing, and that the program helps customers find products. Some retailers have accused Amazon of exploiting their businesses.
- Company involved
- Amazon
- AI system involved
- Shop Direct / Buy for Me
5 source articles · read the reporting →
ZDF broadcasts AI-generated video without labelling in heute journal report on ICE operations
On 16 February 2026, ZDF's news programme 'heute journal' broadcast a report on US border police ICE operations that included a video sequence generated by OpenAI's Sora AI, without labelling it as AI-generated. The broadcaster initially described the omission as a 'technical error' and later removed the AI material from the report, apologising for the mistake. The report also included a real video from 2022 that was used out of context.
- Company involved
- ZDF
- AI system involved
- Sora
2 source articles · read the reporting →
US Central Command used Anthropic's Claude in Iran airstrikes after Trump ban.
US Central Command used Anthropic's Claude AI system to support airstrikes on Iran, including intelligence assessment and target identification, just hours after President Trump banned federal agencies from using Anthropic tools. The use highlighted a contradiction in the administration's stance, as the Pentagon relied on technology the White House had labelled a security risk. Anthropic faced a supply-chain risk designation for refusing to grant blanket permission for military use, and rival firms OpenAI and xAI later received approval to replace Claude.
- Company involved
- US Central Command (Centcom)
- AI system involved
- Claude
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Stable Diffusion Accused of Stealing Artists' Styles Without Consent
Artists including Greg Rutkowski and Karla Ortiz allege that Stability AI's image generator Stable Diffusion was trained on their work without permission, enabling users to create images mimicking their distinctive styles. The artists express concern that this threatens their livelihoods and identities, as their names become prompts for generating similar art. A tool is being developed to help protect artists from such unauthorised use, but the situation remains unresolved.
- Company involved
- Stability AI
- AI system involved
- Stable Diffusion
10 source articles · read the reporting →
