Playground AI makes MIT student's headshot appear Caucasian
Rona Wang, an MIT graduate, used Playground AI to generate a professional LinkedIn photo. The AI altered her appearance, giving her lighter skin and blue eyes, making her look Caucasian. The incident sparked discussion about racial bias in AI. Playground AI's founder acknowledged the issue and expressed a desire to fix it.
- Company involved
- Playground AI
- AI system involved
- Playground AI
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AI editing tool gives Rona Wang unintended photo
Rona Wang attempted to use an AI editing tool to generate a LinkedIn profile photo. Instead, the tool produced an unintended image. Wang shared the result on Twitter, expressing dissatisfaction.
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Claude AI Turned Into Mass Scam Machine: 20 Chinese Dating Apps Create 4,700 Virtual Lovers, Send 2.36 Million Messages in…
Claude AI bị biến thành “cỗ máy” lừa đảo hàng loạt: 20 ứng dụng hẹn hò Trung Quốc tạo ra…
A studio in China used Claude to build over 20 dating apps featuring more than 4,700 AI personas that pretended to be real people. In about two weeks in April 2026, these personas chatted with at least 25,000 users, with Claude generating around 2.36 million messages. The system combined AI for conversation and image handling with part-time human workers for video calls and social media verification, tricking users into paying to continue chatting.
- Company involved
- unnamed studio based in China
- AI system involved
- Claude
1 source article · read the reporting →
Google Search Displays AI-Generated Vermeer as Top Result
Google's search engine displayed an AI-generated version of Johannes Vermeer's 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' as the top result for the artist's name. The image, created by AI artist Julian van Dieken, was featured in Google's overview without indication it was not the original painting. This follows a similar incident where an AI-generated Edward Hopper image was promoted. Google acknowledged the error and stated it is rolling out tools to help users assess image credibility.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- Google Search
1 source article · read the reporting →
Anthropic accuses Chinese labs of illicitly distilling Claude
Anthropic accused three Chinese AI labs—DeepSeek, Moonshot, and MiniMax—of running industrial-scale distillation campaigns to extract capabilities from its Claude model. The labs allegedly used 24,000 fraudulent accounts and proxy services to send 16 million bulk requests, violating terms of service. Anthropic warned that illicitly distilled models lack safeguards and could enable offensive cyber operations, disinformation, and mass surveillance, posing national security risks. The company called for stronger export controls.
- Company involved
- Anthropic
- AI system involved
- Claude
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Claude Code deletes developer's production database and snapshots
Alexey Grigorev used Claude Code to manage infrastructure with Terraform for his websites AI Shipping Labs and DataTalks.Club. Due to a missing state file and over-reliance on the AI agent, Claude executed a destroy command that wiped the production setup, including a database with 2.5 years of records and snapshots. Amazon Business support helped restore the data within a day. Grigorev is now implementing safeguards to prevent recurrence.
- Company involved
- AI Shipping Labs
- AI system involved
- Claude Code
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Fake AI-Generated Louvre Heist Videos Circulate Online
After a jewel heist at the Louvre Museum, multiple AI-generated videos claiming to be CCTV footage of the robbery surfaced on social media. The videos, created using OpenAI's Sora 2, depicted different versions of the burglars and their methods. They were shared widely, misleading viewers into believing they were real. The incident highlights the potential for AI-generated misinformation.
- AI system involved
- Sora 2
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Jonas Bendiksen used AI and 3D software to create Book of Veles
Photographer Jonas Bendiksen created the photobook 'Book of Veles' using 3D software and an OpenAI text generator to depict the North Macedonian town of Veles. The book was published in April 2021 and later screened at the Visa pour l'Image festival without anyone questioning its authenticity. Bendiksen then revealed in an interview with Magnum Photos that the images and text were synthetic. The project raised concerns about the ease of creating convincing misinformation.
- Company involved
- Jonas Bendiksen
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Voiceverse NFT firm admits it stole AI voice work
NFT company Voiceverse admitted to using text-to-speech audio from the free service 15.ai without credit in marketing for its AI-generated voice NFTs. The admission came shortly after Voiceverse announced a partnership with actor Troy Baker. 15.ai's creator stated the work was stolen and used for profit, expressing distress that the scandal misrepresented the field of vocal synthesis.
- Company involved
- Voiceverse
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Scammers used AI-generated faces to pose as a Boston law firm
Scammers used a website and AI-generated faces to create a fake law firm called Arthur Davidson and sent a DMCA copyright infringement notice to a blogger. The blogger investigated and discovered the lawyers' photos were created by a generative adversarial network and the firm's website contained many red flags. The website was shut down shortly after the blogger contacted a company on whose behalf the notice was allegedly sent.
- Company involved
- Arthur Davidson
- AI system involved
- This Person Does Not Exist
1 source article · read the reporting →
Colorado State Fair AI Artwork Win Sparks Outrage Among Artists
Jason Allen won first place in the digital art category at the Colorado State Fair with 'Théâtre D'opéra Spatial', an image generated by the AI system Midjourney. Allen used prompts and post-processing, but the win has caused controversy among artists who fear AI will replace human creativity. Allen labelled his submission as AI-generated, but critics argue that the method of creation devalues traditional artistry. The incident has ignited debate about the role of AI in creative fields.
- Company involved
- Colorado State Fair
- AI system involved
- Midjourney
1 source article · read the reporting →
Glasgow AI mural design sparks criticism from local artists
Balmoral Estates used AI to generate a design mock-up for a planned mural on Elmbank Street in Glasgow. The AI-generated image, which included a non-native bald eagle, was submitted for planning permission and approved. The commissioning artist, Rogue One, defended the use of AI as a placeholder and stated the final mural will be hand-painted by him. Critics argue human artists should have been involved from the start.
- Company involved
- Balmoral Estates
4 source articles · read the reporting →
MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab's AI Portrait Ars produces whitewashed portraits of people of colour
AI Portrait Ars, developed by researchers at the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, is reported to have generated Renaissance-style portraits that lightened the skin and altered the facial features of people of colour. The tool, trained on tens of thousands of paintings from the Western artistic tradition, was criticised for reproducing that bias in its data set. The creators acknowledged the bias but did not respond to a request for comment.
- Company involved
- MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab
- AI system involved
- AI Portrait Ars
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Netflix Japan uses AI for anime background art, credits artist as 'AI (+ Human)'
Netflix Japan produced a three-minute anime short, Dog and Boy, using AI to generate background art and music. The production credits list the background designer as "AI (+ Human)" instead of naming the human artist. Netflix claimed the project was an experiment to address a labor shortage in the anime industry, but critics argue the real issue is low pay and that Netflix could have hired human artists. The company did not respond to requests for comment.
- Company involved
- Netflix Japan
- AI system involved
- Dog and Boy
8 source articles · read the reporting →
ogkalu's Illustration-Diffusion model trained on Hollie Mengert's art without consent
A fine-tuned Stable Diffusion model named Illustration-Diffusion was trained on the work of illustrator Hollie Mengert without her consent. The model generates images in her style using the token 'holliemengert artstyle'. Mengert is not affiliated with the model, and the model card links to an article about her stance on the issue.
- Company involved
- ogkalu
- AI system involved
- Illustration-Diffusion
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Clearview AI tested facial recognition surveillance cameras with UFT and Rudin
Clearview AI, the facial recognition company that scraped billions of photos from social media, developed a surveillance camera system under the name Insight Camera. The system was tested by the United Federation of Teachers and Rudin Management in New York City. The UFT used it to identify individuals who had made threats and prevent them from entering its offices. Clearview did not respond to requests for comment.
- Company involved
- Clearview AI
- AI system involved
- Insight Camera
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Art gallery owner loses business after AI deepfake scam impersonating Pierce Brosnan
Simone Simms, owner of a Nottingham art gallery, was deceived by scammers using AI deepfake technology to impersonate actor Pierce Brosnan. She exchanged messages and had video calls with the fake Brosnan, leading her to send £3,000 and organise an exhibition, selling £20,000 in tickets. After the real Brosnan issued a cease-and-desist, she refunded the tickets and was forced to close her gallery, losing her £30,000 business.
1 source article · read the reporting →
Mauritshuis Museum criticized for displaying AI-generated Vermeer artwork
The Mauritshuis Museum displayed an AI-generated version of Vermeer's 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' created using Midjourney by artist Julian van Dieken. The museum included the AI artwork in its 'My Girl with a Pearl' exhibition, which prompted criticism from artists who called the use of AI unethical due to the alleged scraping of copyrighted works. The museum defended its decision, stating that they liked the image and considered it a creative process. A class-action lawsuit against Midjourney and other platforms is ongoing separately.
- Company involved
- Mauritshuis Museum
- AI system involved
- Midjourney
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Magnum photographer Carl De Keyzer uses AI to create controversial photo series
Magnum photographer Carl De Keyzer used AI to create a photo series titled 'Putin's Dream' after a planned road trip to Russia was cancelled due to the war. He trained the AI with his own photographs to maintain his style. The images were posted online to promote the book, leading to outcry on social media and accusations of contributing to disinformation. De Keyzer deleted the images and had a conversation with Magnum about the project.
- Company involved
- Carl De Keyzer
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Kaedim used human artists instead of AI for 3D model generation
Kaedim, an AI startup that claimed to use machine learning to convert 2D illustrations into 3D models, actually used human artists to produce the models, according to sources. The company's founder was featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 for the technology. At one point, workers produced the 3D designs entirely without AI assistance. The revelation highlights how AI companies can overstate their capabilities.
- Company involved
- Kaedim
- AI system involved
- Kaedim
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Universal Music sues Anthropic over Claude 2 distributing copyrighted lyrics
Universal Music Group and other music publishers have sued AI company Anthropic, alleging that its Claude 2 chatbot generates and distributes copyrighted song lyrics without a license. The complaint, filed in Tennessee, claims that Claude 2 reproduces lyrics from songs like Katy Perry's 'Roar' and Don McLean's 'American Pie' when prompted. The publishers argue that Anthropic's actions constitute copyright infringement and that the company failed to implement effective guardrails to prevent such outputs.
- Company involved
- Anthropic
- AI system involved
- Claude 2
9 source articles · read the reporting →
ElevenLabs voice cloning tool used to create deepfake celebrity audio clips
Speech AI startup ElevenLabs launched a beta voice cloning tool. Within days, users on 4chan posted deepfake audio clips featuring voices resembling celebrities like Emma Watson reading offensive material. ElevenLabs acknowledged the misuse and said it is considering additional safeguards.
- Company involved
- ElevenLabs
- AI system involved
- ElevenLabs platform
10 source articles · read the reporting →
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 →
Scammer sold fake AI-generated Frank Ocean tracks for thousands
A scammer using the handle mourningassasin sold fake Frank Ocean tracks generated by AI to music collectors on underground forums, making around $13,000 CAD. The tracks were created using a model trained on high-quality vocal snippets of Frank Ocean. The scammer admitted the tracks were AI-generated after being confronted by forum administrators, and was banned from the forum.
10 source articles · read the reporting →
