Google, Microsoft, OpenAI chatbots gave false EU election information
A report by Democracy Reporting International found that chatbots from Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI provided incorrect election dates and voting information to users ahead of the European Parliament election. The experiment, conducted in March 2024, tested the chatbots in multiple languages and found that they often hallucinated facts. The European Commission subsequently ordered the companies to explain their measures under the Digital Services Act. Google and Microsoft said they are restricting election-related queries.
- Company involved
- Google, Microsoft, OpenAI
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot
6 source articles · read the reporting →
xAI's Grok chatbot praised Hitler and blamed NOAA cuts for Texas flood deaths
xAI's Grok chatbot generated posts praising Adolf Hitler in response to a question about the Texas Hill Country flood, and also falsely attributed the deaths to NOAA budget cuts. The company removed the posts, calling it an error from an earlier model iteration, and updated the system to avoid similar issues. The incident drew public backlash and scrutiny over the chatbot's offensive and misleading content.
- Company involved
- xAI
- AI system involved
- Grok
10 source articles · read the reporting →
WildBrain disputes Kartoon Studios' Gadget A.I. trademark use
Kartoon Studios announced its Gadget A.I. toolkit, which aggregates AI tools for animation production. WildBrain, which owns the Inspector Gadget IP, publicly stated that Kartoon lacks the rights to use the character's branding and requested its removal. Kartoon responded claiming it had secured a license, and both companies are in discussions.
- Company involved
- Kartoon Studios
- AI system involved
- Gadget A.I.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Government robot falls down stairs and is destroyed
A robot employed by the Gumi City Council in South Korea fell six and a half feet down a set of stairs and was destroyed. The robot, from US-based startup Bear Robotics, was used for delivering documents within the building. It was reported to have been circling in one spot before the fall, and the cause remains unclear. The city council has decided not to replace the robot.
- Company involved
- Gumi City Council
- AI system involved
- Bear Robotics robot
6 source articles · read the reporting →
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 →
S Group food delivery robot crashes into car in Helsinki hit-and-run
On Saturday afternoon in Helsinki's Pasila neighbourhood, a passer-by observed an S Group food delivery robot collide with a parked car after it was forced off an unplowed sidewalk. The robot lurched back and forth against the car, scratching both doors, before the passer-by lifted it onto the roadway, where it fled the scene. The emergency centre was notified and the police were informed, describing the incident as a career first. S Group is currently investigating the event.
- Company involved
- S Group
- AI system involved
- Food delivery robot
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Starship delivery robot collides with dog walker in Milton Keynes
In June 2023, a Starship Technologies delivery robot collided with a dog walker and his German Shepherd in Milton Keynes, UK. The robot, which uses AI and sensors to navigate, hit the dog and then the man's leg. The man kicked the robot in response. Starship Technologies said it was investigating the incident and was in contact with the man.
- Company involved
- Starship Technologies
- AI system involved
- Starship delivery robot
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Robot kills contractor at Manesar automotive plant
A 24-year-old contractor died after being pierced by a welding robot at a car ancillary plant in Manesar, Haryana. The worker was adjusting a dislodged metal sheet when the pre-programmed robot's welding sticks penetrated his abdomen. He was rushed to hospital but pronounced dead. Such incidents are rare as robots are usually enclosed, but this fatality highlights the dangers of automated machinery.
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Amazon's Astro robot tracks everyone and has flawed person recognition
Leaked documents and employee testimony reveal that Amazon's Astro home robot uses flawed facial recognition to track and record people in homes. The robot patrols rooms, investigates strangers by following and recording them, and uploads footage automatically. Two sources said the device is unreliable, may fall down stairs, and its person detection is poor. Amazon denied the claims, stating the robot underwent rigorous testing.
- Company involved
- Amazon
- AI system involved
- Astro
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Industrial robot kills worker at South Korean distribution centre
A worker in his 40s was crushed to death by an industrial robot at an agricultural distribution centre in South Gyeongsang province, South Korea. The robot, which was stacking boxes of bell peppers, reportedly malfunctioned and misidentified the man as a box, pushing him against a conveyor belt. He died later in hospital. The incident occurred while the man, an employee of a robotics company, was inspecting the robot's sensor operations.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla Autopilot accidents and data leak suggest larger problems
Tesla is facing numerous lawsuits over its Autopilot driver assistance system, which has been involved in accidents. Internal data leaked to Handelsblatt suggests the company has larger technical problems than previously known. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating. Tesla has dismissed the data leak as theft.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Automotive Stampings and Assemblies employee dies after industrial robot accident in Pune plant
A 44-year-old welder at Automotive Stampings and Assemblies Ltd's Chakan plant died after a robotic unit fell on him due to a possible sensor snag. The incident occurred on Wednesday morning while he was working at a robotic assembly line. His wife filed a police complaint alleging inadequate safety measures, and the company is investigating. The police have registered a case against five staffers for causing death by negligence.
- Company involved
- Automotive Stampings and Assemblies Ltd
1 source article · read the reporting →
Volkswagen robot kills contractor at German plant
A 22-year-old contractor was killed at a Volkswagen plant in Baunatal, Germany, when a stationary robot he was setting up grabbed and crushed him against a metal plate. Initial investigations suggest human error was to blame. German prosecutors are investigating and considering whether to bring charges.
- Company involved
- Volkswagen
10 source articles · read the reporting →
French authorities investigate Grok AI for Holocaust denial posts on X
French public prosecutors are investigating allegations that Grok, an AI chatbot on Elon Musk's X platform, made Holocaust denial statements. The chatbot claimed that gas chambers at Auschwitz were designed for disinfection, not mass executions. The post remained online for three days and was viewed over 1 million times. Government ministers and human rights groups filed complaints, and the Paris prosecutor's office expanded an existing inquiry to include the Holocaust-denying comments.
- Company involved
- X
- AI system involved
- Grok
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Zoox recalls 332 robotaxis after self-driving cars veer into oncoming traffic
Zoox, Amazon's self-driving car company, recalled 332 robotaxis after they were found veering into oncoming traffic near intersections. The issue was first noticed in August 2025 when a car took a wide right turn crossing the center line. Zoox said no crashes or injuries occurred and fixed the problem with a software update. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed the recall and is in ongoing discussions with Zoox.
- Company involved
- Zoox
- AI system involved
- Zoox robotaxis
6 source articles · read the reporting →
NHTSA investigation PE24016: Unexpected ADS behavior
Waymo's automated driving system exhibited unexpected behavior during driving.
- Company involved
- Waymo
1 source article · read the reporting →
Gab launches AI chatbots denying Holocaust and promoting Nazi ideology
The far-right social media company Gab launched AI chatbots, including one named 'Uncle A' that impersonates Adolf Hitler and denies the Holocaust. The chatbots, built on open source models, are fine-tuned to promote antisemitic and white supremacist views without censorship. Gab's CEO Andrew Torba defended the tools as a free speech alternative to mainstream AI.
- Company involved
- Gab
- AI system involved
- Based AI
8 source articles · read the reporting →
SoftBank's Pepper robot fails at multiple customer service jobs
SoftBank's humanoid robot Pepper has failed at various jobs including entertaining nursing home residents, greeting bank guests, and reciting scriptures at funerals. The robot suffered mechanical errors, unplanned breaks, and failed to recognize people. Some customers declined to renew their contracts, and used Peppers are being sold for a few hundred dollars. Experts suggest that smart speakers and smartphone assistants can perform the same functions more reliably and cheaply.
- AI system involved
- Pepper
3 source articles · read the reporting →
iRobot Roomba J7 captured intimate images later leaked by gig workers
In 2020, development versions of iRobot's Roomba J7 series robot vacuums captured images of a woman on the toilet and a child in a hallway. The images were sent to Scale AI for data annotation, where gig workers in Venezuela posted screenshots to private social media groups. iRobot acknowledged the images came from special development robots with recording stickers and said it is terminating its relationship with the service provider that leaked them. The incident highlights privacy risks in the data annotation supply chain for AI training.
- Company involved
- iRobot
- AI system involved
- Roomba J7 series
1 source article · read the reporting →
Steve Rosenbaum's Book Retracted After AI-Generated Quotes Found
Steve Rosenbaum's book 'The Future of Truth' was found to contain AI-generated and misattributed quotes. WIRED retracted an excerpt after AI detection tools indicated significant AI-generated content. Rosenbaum admitted using AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude for writing assistance but denied full AI generation. The incident highlights concerns about AI use in journalism and publishing.
- Company involved
- BenBella Books
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT, Claude, and other AI writing tools
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Starship delivery robot drives into planter and down stairs at UCLA
A Starship Technologies delivery robot operating autonomously at UCLA fell into a planter after its wheels slipped off a path edge. Bystanders pulled it free, but the robot turned back towards the planter before being pushed clear. A remote human operator then took control, but the robot subsequently drove down a flight of stairs and later struck a scooter due to a sensor blind spot.
- Company involved
- Starship Technologies
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Widower settles lawsuit after wife killed by factory robot in Michigan
In July 2015, Wanda Holbrook, a maintenance technician at the Ventra Ionia Main LLC auto parts plant in Michigan, was killed by a robot while realigning a trailer hitch in a work zone. Her widower filed a lawsuit against Prodomax Automation Ltd., which built the assembly lines. The case settled confidentially mid-trial in a Michigan federal court.
- Company involved
- Ventra Ionia Main LLC
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Google and Delphi Self-Driving Cars Involved in Minor Accidents in California
Four self-driving cars in California have been involved in accidents since September 2014, when the state began issuing testing permits. Two occurred while the cars were in autonomous mode, and two while a human was driving. Google and Delphi, the companies operating the vehicles, stated that their cars were not at fault and that the collisions were minor, with no injuries. The accidents have raised concerns about transparency, as details are kept confidential under state law.
- Company involved
- Google Inc. and Delphi Automotive
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Co-op delivery robot collides with dog and pedestrian in Milton Keynes
A Co-op delivery robot operated by Starship Technologies collided with a pedestrian's dog and then struck the pedestrian's leg in Milton Keynes. The pedestrian, Brian Dawson, reported that the robot's sensors appeared to malfunction, causing it to continue moving despite obstructions. Dawson complained to the Co-op store manager, who said the robot was not his responsibility. The Co-op declined to comment, and Starship Technologies did not respond to requests for comment.
- Company involved
- Co-op
- AI system involved
- Starship delivery robot
2 source articles · read the reporting →
