Adoption algorithm Family-Match produced limited results in multiple states
The AI-powered adoption algorithm Family-Match, developed by Adoption-Share and designed by former eharmony researchers, has produced limited results in states where it was used. Social workers reported that the tool often matched children with unwilling families and failed to generate successful adoptions. Virginia, Georgia, and Tennessee dropped or paused the algorithm after trials, though some later resumed use. The algorithm's creator, Thea Ramirez, disputed the accounts and said the tool is a starting point for social workers.
- Company involved
- Adoption-Share
- AI system involved
- Family-Match
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Trump administration accused of using ChatGPT to set tariff formula
The Trump administration imposed new tariffs on imports from all trading partners using a formula that critics allege was derived from ChatGPT. Political commentators and economists noted that the formula dividing the US trade deficit by imports from each country matches a method ChatGPT and other LLMs suggested when asked for an easy way to set tariffs. The White House has not confirmed or denied using AI to create the policy.
- Company involved
- White House
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Telangana algorithm denied food to thousands of poor families
The Telangana government's algorithmic system Samagra Vedika wrongfully denied subsidised food to thousands of poor families by incorrectly tagging them as ineligible. The system, developed by Posidex Technologies, misidentified individuals across databases, leading to false positives. Affected families, including 67-year-old widow Bismillah Bee, were forced to prove their eligibility, often unsuccessfully. A Supreme Court case ordered re-verification, but many remain excluded.
- Company involved
- Government of Telangana
- AI system involved
- Samagra Vedika
8 source articles · read the reporting →
UK Ministry of Justice secretly develops murder prediction system
The UK Ministry of Justice is developing the Homicide Prediction Project, a system that uses police and government data to profile hundreds of thousands of people, including suspects, victims, and vulnerable individuals, to predict who will commit murder. The project, a collaboration with the Home Office, Greater Manchester Police, and the Metropolitan Police, uses sensitive personal data such as mental health and addiction records. Concerns have been raised that the system will reinforce structural discrimination against racialised and low-income communities.
- Company involved
- Ministry of Justice
- AI system involved
- Homicide Prediction Project
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Illinois DCFS ends unreliable predictive analytics program for child abuse risk
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services ended its Rapid Safety Feedback program, which used data mining to predict child abuse risk, after the agency's director called the technology unreliable. The system, developed by Eckerd Connects and Mindshare Technology, assigned risk scores to children but failed to flag several high-profile child deaths. The program was also criticised for overwhelming caseworkers with alerts and for potential bias against poor children of colour. DCFS decided not to renew the contract.
- Company involved
- Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
- AI system involved
- Rapid Safety Feedback
10 source articles · read the reporting →
UK government's Spotlight algorithm denies funding to independent cinemas
The UK government's Culture Recovery Fund used an automated due diligence tool called Spotlight, designed by the Cabinet Office, to process grant applications. The algorithm is accused of excluding smaller, community-focused independent cinemas and arts organizations in favour of larger institutions, a practice the article describes as automated cultural elitism. The National Audit Office has confirmed the criteria, and Arts Council England is investigating cases of potential fraud, while many venues report struggling to survive.
- Company involved
- UK Government Cabinet Office
- AI system involved
- Spotlight
6 source articles · read the reporting →
