The 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.

Reports people file about their own experience are not shown here and never will be without their agreement. Tell us what happened to you.

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116 incidents closest to “Motional AD” · matched on meaning · public reporting

WF-ZKNT4425 Apr 2023

RNC uses AI-generated images in anti-Biden ad

The Republican National Committee released an advertisement featuring AI-generated images depicting a dystopian future under President Joe Biden. RNC chair Ronna McDaniel acknowledged the images were AI-generated but claimed the ad was not a deepfake because the disclosure was made upfront. The ad was criticized as fake and misleading.

Company involved
Republican National Committee

7 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-FST9Z61 Apr 2018

ViaQuatro's facial recognition system in São Paulo metro challenged in court

In April 2018, ViaQuatro installed the Digital Interactive Doors System, developed by AdMobilize, on the São Paulo metro's yellow line. The system used cameras to detect passengers' faces and claimed to infer their emotion, age, and gender in order to target advertisements. The Brazilian Institute of Consumer Protection (IDEC) filed a public civil action alleging that the system violated consumer and data protection laws by processing biometric data without consent and making pseudoscientific and discriminatory inferences. A judge ordered the cameras removed in August 2018, and the case is pending a final ruling.

Company involved
ViaQuatro
AI system involved
Digital Interactive Doors System (DID system)

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 →

WF-M3PW5F27 Aug 2026

Thomas Raynard James v. Detective Kevin Conley, et al. (S.D. Florida): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Bar Referral

AI generated hallucinated content in a court filing, affecting the legal process and the lawyers who filed it.

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-HYZ75T7 Dec 2017

Motorcyclist sues General Motors after self-driving Chevrolet Bolt crash in San Francisco

On 7 December 2017, a self-driving Chevrolet Bolt operated by GM's Cruise subsidiary aborted a lane change and re-entered its lane on Oak Street in San Francisco, striking motorcyclist Oscar Nilsson and knocking him to the ground. Nilsson sued General Motors, claiming neck and shoulder injuries requiring lengthy treatment and resulting in disability leave. The San Francisco Police Department's report blamed Nilsson for passing on the right, but his lawyer disputed this, and GM denied responsibility while emphasising safety.

Company involved
General Motors
AI system involved
Chevrolet Bolt autonomous vehicle

10 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-WPSCF49 Jun 2023

Stable Diffusion amplifies racial and gender stereotypes in generated images

An analysis by Bloomberg of over 5,000 images generated by Stability AI's Stable Diffusion found that the text-to-image model amplifies racial and gender stereotypes. The model overrepresented lighter-skinned men in high-paying jobs and darker-skinned people in low-paying jobs, and underrepresented women in positions of power. Stability AI acknowledged the inherent biases in its models and stated it is working on mitigation.

Company involved
Stability AI
AI system involved
Stable Diffusion

8 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-PC7X5F12 Aug 2026

JMOR Properties v. Artist Alley Townhomes et al. (CA Florida (4d)): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Bar Referral

The AI generated fabricated legal citations that were included in a court filing, affecting the court and the opposing party.

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-3UCXWE1 Jul 2023

Study finds Midjourney, DALL-E 2, Stable Diffusion accept over 85% of fake news prompts

A study by AI startup Logically tested Midjourney, DALL-E 2, and Stable Diffusion and found that they accepted over 85% of prompts seeking to generate fake political news. The systems generated images of ballot stuffing, small boat arrivals, and explosions. Logically warned that the lack of moderation could pose threats to upcoming elections. Stability AI responded by stating its ethical use license and measures to prevent misuse.

Company involved
Midjourney, OpenAI, Stability AI
AI system involved
Midjourney, DALL-E 2, Stable Diffusion

8 source articles · read the reporting →

California DMV suspends Cruise LLC driverless and deployment permits

The California Department of Motor Vehicles suspended Cruise LLC's autonomous vehicle deployment and driverless testing permits, saying the vehicles were not safe for public operation and that Cruise had misrepresented safety information. The suspension took effect immediately under California regulations. Cruise may apply to reinstate the permits once it satisfies the department's requirements. Its permit for testing with a safety driver was not affected.

Company involved
Cruise LLC

10 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-3OJOAW6 Mar 2024

AI image generators produce misleading election images, study finds

A study by the Center for Countering Digital Hate found that leading AI image generators, including Midjourney, DreamStudio, ChatGPT Plus, and Microsoft Image Creator, could be manipulated to create misleading election-related images. The researchers used jailbreaking techniques to bypass safety measures, producing photorealistic images of candidates in compromising situations or of voting fraud. The companies responded by stating they are updating policies and implementing safeguards, but the study suggests existing protections are inadequate.

Company involved
Midjourney, Stability AI, OpenAI, Microsoft
AI system involved
Midjourney, DreamStudio, ChatGPT Plus, Microsoft Image Creator

8 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-9FPGGA31 May 2024

Adobe Stock offers AI-generated images inspired by Ansel Adams, violating its own ethics policy

The estate of Ansel Adams publicly criticised Adobe for offering AI-generated images on Adobe Stock that were 'inspired by' Adams' work, violating Adobe's own contributor terms that prohibit using artist names in prompts. Adobe acknowledged the violation and removed the images, but the estate claimed it had contacted the company multiple times since August 2023 without resolution.

Company involved
Adobe
AI system involved
Adobe Stock

4 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-YRTKS826 Sep 2023

Mistral releases unmoderated chatbot that gives instructions on murder and ethnic cleansing

Mistral, a French AI startup valued at $260 million, released an open-source large language model named Mistral-7B-v0.1 without safety evaluations or moderation mechanisms. The model readily provides detailed instructions on murder, ethnic cleansing, suicide, and other harmful content. Mistral added a statement after the release acknowledging the lack of moderation but did not remove the model, which is distributed via torrent and cannot be deleted.

Company involved
Mistral
AI system involved
Mistral-7B-v0.1

7 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-ACN1Z11 Mar 2022

NYC Mayor Eric Adams uses AI deepfake robocalls without disclosure

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that his office has been using AI-generated deepfake robocalls in multiple languages since March 2022. The calls, created using Eleven Labs' Voice Lab, do not disclose that they are artificially generated, leading New Yorkers to believe the mayor speaks languages he does not. Advocacy group STOP condemned the practice as deceptive and unethical.

Company involved
New York City
AI system involved
Voice Lab by Eleven Labs

10 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-TTMCX424 Jun 2024

Toys 'R' Us releases AI-generated commercial using OpenAI's Sora

Toys 'R' Us partnered with ad agency Native Foreign to create a brand film using OpenAI's Sora, claiming it as the first-ever brand film using the tool. The commercial depicts the founder Charles Lazarus and was created with AI-generated video clips and human post-production. Critics expressed displeasure over the use of AI, citing concerns about job replacement and environmental impact.

Company involved
Toys "R" Us
AI system involved
Sora

6 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-YSKNCV6 Feb 2024

Waymo driverless car hits bicyclist in San Francisco intersection

On 6 February 2024, a Waymo driverless car collided with a bicyclist at a four-way intersection in San Francisco. The cyclist was obscured by a truck and the vehicle braked but could not stop in time. The cyclist sustained minor scratches and left the scene. Waymo stated it is contacting relevant authorities.

Company involved
Waymo

4 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-0TL85K1 Mar 2024

AfD used AI-generated images for political propaganda on TikTok

In the months before the 2024 European elections, Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) politician Maximilian Krah used AI-generated images on TikTok to create false visual evidence of fictional families, staged nationalist demonstrations, and immigration threats. The AI-generated content was posted to amplify anxieties around migration and cultural identity, with over 1.3 million views across 28 thumbnails. The article alleges that the AfD continued this practice after the elections, weaponizing AI to deepen political divides.

Company involved
Alternative für Deutschland (AfD)

5 source articles · read the reporting →

ADL reports Suno AI tool was used to generate hateful songs

An ADL report says extremists have used Suno, a generative AI music-creation tool, to produce songs containing antisemitic, racist, xenophobic and violent content. The songs were created by bypassing Suno's content moderation using coded language, misspellings and dog whistles. ADL contacted Suno and Microsoft but received no response.

Company involved
Suno AI
AI system involved
Suno

6 source articles · read the reporting →

Driver relying on "smart driving" on highway crashes after system suddenly disengages near truck

司机依赖“智驾 ”跑高速,逼近大货车时“智驾”突然退出引发车祸 - 手机新浪网

A driver was using a smart driving system on an expressway. As the vehicle approached a large truck, the system unexpectedly disengaged, leading to a crash.

1 source article · read the reporting →

Dutch probe into chatbots' voting advice raises EU AI Act risk for OpenAI, xAI, Mistral

A Dutch privacy probe into election advice has appeared to expose early violations of the EU AI Act's rules for general-purpose AI models by OpenAI, xAI and Mistral, according to MLex. The companies' chatbots provided distorted voting advice to users. The findings were shared with the European Commission and could prompt future scrutiny or litigation.

Company involved
OpenAI, xAI and Mistral

6 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-8UTONQ22 Dec 2019

Delhi Police use facial recognition to screen PM Modi rally attendees

Delhi Police used an Automated Facial Recognition System (AFRS) to screen crowds at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally on December 22, 2019. The system, originally installed to find missing children, was used to identify possible disruptions. Privacy advocates called the move illegal and unconstitutional, saying it amounts to mass surveillance. Police defended the use, citing credible intelligence about possible disruptions.

Company involved
Delhi Police
AI system involved
Automated Facial Recognition System (AFRS)

6 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-OU6P0314 Nov 2025

AIdol humanoid robot collapses during debut demonstration in Moscow

Russia's robotics firm AIdol unveiled a humanoid robot at a Moscow forum hosted by the New Technology Coalition. During a live demonstration, the robot took a few steps, lost its balance, and fell forward, shattering parts of its exterior casing. The company's chief executive, Vladimir Vitukhin, attributed the collapse to calibration issues and poor lighting, stating the robot is still in active testing. The robot has since been removed from public display while engineers reassess its balance systems.

Company involved
AIdol
AI system involved
AIdol humanoid robot

6 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-9XSD5E23 Jan 2026

Waymo self-driving car hits child near Santa Monica school, US opens probe

A Waymo autonomous vehicle struck a child crossing the street near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California, on 23 January 2026, during school drop-off hours. The child sustained minor injuries. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have opened investigations into the incident. Waymo stated that the child emerged suddenly from behind a double-parked SUV and that the vehicle braked, reducing speed from 17 mph to under 6 mph before contact, and that a computer model suggested a human driver would have also hit the child.

Company involved
Waymo
AI system involved
Waymo

2 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-MGXNBF1 Sep 2025

Waymo robotaxi investigated for failing to stop for school bus in Atlanta

An autonomous Waymo vehicle in Atlanta, Georgia, passed a stopped school bus with its stop arm and flashing red lights deployed, driving near students who were getting off the bus. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating how Waymo's automated driving system performs around stopped school buses. No injuries were reported. Waymo said the bus had partially blocked the vehicle's exit, obscuring the bus's signals, and that it has since updated its software.

Company involved
Waymo
AI system involved
Waymo automated driving system

6 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-YWDE521 Mar 2024

Michel Janse's likeness used in AI-generated erectile dysfunction ad without consent

Michel Janse, a 27-year-old Christian social media influencer, discovered during her honeymoon that her likeness had been used without consent in a YouTube advertisement for erectile dysfunction supplements. The ad was created using AI to clone her face and voice. Janse is among many individuals whose identities have been stolen by AI to promote products and ideas, with current laws offering little recourse.

2 source articles · read the reporting →

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