{"meta":{"exportedAt":"2026-10-23T15:14:53.433Z","formatVersion":2,"selection":{"q":"texas","system":"","harm":"","context":"","country":"","role":"","relation":"core","evidence":"","year":"2026","response":"","severity":"","verification":"","view":"incidents","sort":"added"},"totalIncidents":4,"coverage":{"cases":4,"countries":1,"languages":1,"unknownLocation":0,"locationPending":0,"unknownLanguage":0,"unknownDate":0,"lawsuits":1,"regulatory":0,"minors":1,"coreRelations":4,"contextualRelations":0,"mixedRelations":0,"unknownRelations":0,"relationPending":0,"relationUnknown":0},"countingNote":"Distinct public cases in this selection. People counts apply within individual cases only; cross-case person overlap has not been resolved. No population incidence estimate.","affectedCountNote":"Interpret person counts with affectedCountStatus and the reported effects. Unquantified zeros are placeholders, not a measured zero.","source":"AI incidents","publisher":"NOPE","url":"https://nope.net/incidents","license":"CC BY 4.0"},"incidents":[{"id":"2026-houston-explosion-trial-3m-expert-witness-dropped-after-chatgpt-drafted-report-exposed","caseFacts":{"claims":[{"id":"c8","status":"reported","evidence":[{"locator":"Numerous lawsuits followed, including one that came to trial in 2026.","relation":"supports","source_id":"s3"}],"assertion":"One of the lawsuits over the explosion came to trial in 2026.","causal_attribution":"The Mary Sue, retelling 404 Media; CBS News's September report of an award 'last month' is consistent."},{"id":"c1","status":"reported","evidence":[{"locator":"used ChatGPT to write significant portions of his “expert report.” ... “show how 3M is 0% at fault for the explosion at Watson Grinding.”","relation":"supports","source_id":"s2"},{"locator":"One prompt the expert plugged into AI to prepare his testimony was: \"Show how 3M is 0% at fault for the explosion at Watson Grinding.\"","relation":"supports","source_id":"s1"}],"assertion":"An engineering expert retained for 3M in a lawsuit over the 2020 Watson Grinding explosion used ChatGPT to prepare his expert report, including a prompt asking it to show how 3M was 0% at fault for the explosion.","causal_attribution":"404 Media's review of transcripts and discovery records and CBS News's reporting from deposition transcripts and the plaintiffs' lawyers; the expert acknowledged AI use (c2)."},{"id":"c2","status":"reported","evidence":[{"locator":"acknowledged using artificial intelligence to assist with drafting his report, but defended his research","relation":"supports","source_id":"s1"}],"assertion":"Under questioning, the expert acknowledged using AI to help draft his report but defended his research.","causal_attribution":"CBS News, from deposition transcripts."},{"id":"c3","status":"reported","evidence":[{"locator":"After the deposition, 3M attorneys removed ... from their witness list. But the plaintiffs' attorneys subpoenaed him to testify about the various prompts he entered into ChatGPT.","relation":"supports","source_id":"s1"}],"assertion":"After the deposition, 3M's attorneys removed the expert from their witness list, and the plaintiffs subpoenaed him to testify about his ChatGPT prompts.","causal_attribution":"CBS News."},{"id":"c4","status":"reported","evidence":[{"locator":"claimed an expert witness used ChatGPT to create more than 80% of his expert report ... the attorneys found 300 pages of prompts","relation":"supports","source_id":"s1"}],"assertion":"The plaintiffs claimed the expert used ChatGPT to create more than 80% of his report, and their lawyers said they found 300 pages of prompts.","causal_attribution":"The plaintiffs' lawyers, as reported by CBS News."},{"id":"c5","status":"reported","evidence":[{"locator":"He did not delegate the formation of his opinions to ChatGPT, nor did AI replace his professional judgement","relation":"supports","source_id":"s1"}],"assertion":"The expert's lawyer said he used AI for formatting, structuring and drafting after reviewing the materials, did not delegate the formation of his opinions to ChatGPT, and that public characterisations offer a selective distortion of the record.","causal_attribution":"The expert's lawyer, quoted by CBS News."},{"id":"c6","status":"reported","evidence":[{"locator":"After independently reviewing the facts of the case and reaching his own conclusions, he used AI as a tool to assist in preparing his report","relation":"supports","source_id":"s1"}],"assertion":"3M said the expert was an independent third-party witness retained by outside counsel who used AI as a tool after independently reviewing the facts and reaching his own conclusions.","causal_attribution":"3M's statement to CBS News."},{"id":"c7","status":"reported","evidence":[{"locator":"The jury found that 3M was negligent in its safety checks of the alarm systems that could have prevented a fatal blast. Last month the court awarded the victims $61.5 million.","relation":"supports","source_id":"s1"}],"assertion":"The jury found 3M negligent and the court awarded the victims $61.5 million; 3M said it disagrees with the verdict and intends to appeal.","causal_attribution":"CBS News. No source establishes that the expert's AI use affected the verdict; a plaintiffs' lawyer's belief that it did is his own view."}],"effects":[{"label":"removed from 3M's witness list and subpoenaed to testify about his ChatGPT prompts","claim_id":"c3","direction":"negative"}],"sources":[{"id":"s1","url":"https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/ai-backfires-expert-witness-trial-171000342.html","kind":"news","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"Read on 2026-10-17 (HTTP 200) on Yahoo News, which carries the CBS News report credited to CBS; the same text was read through MSN. Published 18 September 2026.","independence_group":"cbs-news-report-september-2026"},{"id":"s2","url":"https://www.404media.co/show-how-3m-is-0-at-fault-expert-witness-used-chatgpt-to-write-report-defending-company-in-deadly-explosion-lawsuit/","kind":"news","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"Read on 2026-10-17 (HTTP 200), live and through the Internet Archive; only the headline and opening paragraphs before the paywall were available. Published 17 August 2026.","independence_group":"404-media-records-review-august-2026"},{"id":"s3","url":"https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/expert-witness-at-trial-goes-overboard-with-ai-exclusively-relied-on-chatgpt-to-form-his-opinions-and-write-his-report/ar-AA2apkQp","kind":"news","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"Read on 2026-10-17 through the MSN content API (HTTP 200). Published 18 August 2026 by The Mary Sue; a retelling of 404 Media's report, so the same group.","independence_group":"404-media-records-review-august-2026"}],"version":1,"ai_roles":["own_use"],"contexts":["work","justice"],"unknowns":["The date the report was written and the trial dates; the sources say only that the case came to trial in 2026 and that the expert was hired weeks before it began.","How much of the report ChatGPT generated; the plaintiffs say more than 80% and the expert's lawyer disputes the characterisation.","Whether the court ruled on the report or the expert's testimony; no ruling is reported.","Whether the expert lost other work or income; not reported.","3M's reason for removing the expert from its witness list; CBS News reports only that the removal followed the deposition."],"geography":{"basis":"The report was prepared for, and the trial held in, a Texas lawsuit over an explosion in Houston. Where the expert lives is not used.","court_countries":["US"],"event_countries":["US"],"affected_person_countries":[]},"publication":{"basis":"Published as a concrete adverse consequence of AI use: reports from transcripts and discovery records show the expert used ChatGPT to prepare his report, and CBS News reports that 3M's attorneys removed him from their witness list after his deposition and the plaintiffs subpoenaed him over his prompts.","reviewed_on":"2026-10-17"},"ai_involvement":{"basis":"404 Media and CBS News report from transcripts and discovery records that the expert used ChatGPT to prepare his report, quoting a prompt asking it to show how 3M was 0% at fault, and the expert acknowledged using AI to help draft it. ChatGPT's output reached the expert and went into the report (communicated_with); 3M's attorneys then removed him from their witness list, CBS News reports. How much of the report ChatGPT wrote is disputed between the plaintiffs and the expert's lawyer.","status":"supported"},"person_relations":["communicated_with"]},"name":"3M dropped an expert witness in a Houston explosion trial after discovery showed he had used ChatGPT to draft his report, CBS News reports","summary":"In a 2026 Texas trial over 3M's role in the January 2020 Watson Grinding explosion in Houston, which killed three people, an engineering expert retained for 3M used ChatGPT to prepare his expert report, according to discovery records and transcripts reviewed by 404 Media and CBS News. One prompt asked ChatGPT to show how 3M was 0% at fault for the explosion. The plaintiffs' lawyers, who found a citation overlay document and then hundreds of pages of prompts, said ChatGPT produced more than 80% of the report. Under questioning, the expert acknowledged using AI to help draft the report but defended his research. CBS News reports that after the deposition 3M's attorneys removed him from their witness list, and the plaintiffs subpoenaed him to testify about his prompts at trial. The expert's lawyer said he did not delegate his opinions to ChatGPT and called public characterisations a selective distortion of the record; 3M said he was an independent witness who used AI as a tool after reaching his own conclusions. The jury found 3M negligent and the court awarded the victims $61.5 million; 3M said it would appeal.","incidentDate":"2026-01-01","incidentKind":"single_event","incidentDatePrecision":"year","exposurePattern":"repeated_interactions","reportedDate":"2026-08-17","aiSystem":"ChatGPT, used by an engineering expert retained for 3M to prepare an expert report; discovery produced hundreds of pages of his prompts","aiProduct":"ChatGPT","severity":"low","verificationStatus":"credible","harmCategories":[],"harmOutcomes":["professional_harm","reputational_harm"],"harmOutcomeSummary":"According to CBS News, the expert was removed from 3M's witness list after his ChatGPT use was exposed at deposition, then subpoenaed by the plaintiffs to testify about his prompts at trial.","frameworkFacets":[],"causationStatus":"supported","participantUsersAffectedMin":1,"otherPeopleHarmedMin":0,"affectedCountStatus":"exact","affectedCountEvidence":"One person: the expert who used ChatGPT and was removed from 3M's witness list (CBS News). The explosion victims' harm predates and is unrelated to the AI use, so they are not counted.","victimAgeRange":"adult","jurisdiction":"US-TX","platformType":"other","outcomeType":"internal_action","outcomeStatus":"resolved","primarySourceUrl":"https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/ai-backfires-expert-witness-trial-171000342.html","primarySourceLabel":"CBS News (via Yahoo News), Use of AI backfires on an expert witness in court (18 September 2026)","firstPublishedAt":"2026-10-17T03:12:28.606981+00:00","updatedAt":"2026-10-17T03:12:28.606981+00:00","scopeVersion":"facts-v3","tags":["united-states","texas","expert-witness","litigation","chatgpt"]},{"id":"2026-texas-goodwin-ai-deepfake-campaign-ads-sheriff-complaint","caseFacts":{"claims":[{"id":"c1","status":"corroborated","evidence":[{"locator":"'has filed a police report accusing Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick of violating Texas law after his campaign released two ads featuring AI-generated videos of Goodwin.'; 'submitted with a complaint filed Saturday with the Travis County Sheriff’s Office.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s1"},{"locator":"'filed a police report saying that artificial intelligence-generated ads released by Patrick's campaign in September violated state law.'; 'The Travis County Sheriff’s Office confirmed receipt of Goodwin's complaint but did not offer additional comment.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s2"},{"locator":"'according to a notarized affidavit she filed Saturday with the Travis County Sheriff’s Office.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s4"}],"assertion":"On Saturday 19 September 2026 Vikki Goodwin filed a complaint with a sworn affidavit at the Travis County Sheriff's Office accusing Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick of violating the 2019 Texas election deepfake law after his campaign posted two ads with AI-generated videos of her; the sheriff's office confirmed receipt of the complaint.","causal_attribution":"The filing is reported from the affidavit (Tribune, KXAN) and confirmed by the sheriff's office (KUT)."},{"id":"c2","status":"reported","evidence":[{"locator":"'I did not personally do or say the things depicted in the video; although the ‘person’ in the video appears to be me, it was not actually me'; 'Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick posted the video with the intent to deceive Texans, injure a candidate, or influence the result of an election'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s1"},{"locator":"'The affidavit alleges two instances of AI-generated deepfakes targeting Goodwin, the first on Sept. 5 (27 workdays prior to Oct. 19) and the second on Sept. 12 (23 workdays).'; 'Both of the videos were posted by Patrick’s non-government account on the social media website X'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s4"},{"locator":"'The AI ads were making it look as though I'm in favor of increasing taxes, and of course, nobody wants their taxes to be increased, so that's going to turn voters off'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s2"}],"assertion":"In the affidavit Goodwin stated that she did not do or say the things depicted, that the person in the video appeared to be her but was not, and that Patrick posted the video with intent to deceive Texans, injure a candidate or influence the election; the affidavit identifies two posts, on 5 and 12 September 2026, on Patrick's non-government X account; Goodwin told KUT the ads made it look as though she favoured raising taxes.","causal_attribution":"The candidate's sworn allegations and interview statements; not independently established beyond the existence and contents of the affidavit."},{"id":"c3","status":"reported","evidence":[{"locator":"'Allen Blakemore, a campaign spokesman for Patrick, told the New York Times that the material was “an obvious parody produced to entertain.”'; 'Furthermore, we have not published or distributed any of these parodies within 30 days of the election.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s1"},{"locator":"'Patrick campaign spokesman Allen Blakemore told The New York Times on Saturday that the videos were “an obvious parody produced to entertain.”'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s4"},{"locator":"'KUT News also reached out to Patrick’s campaign, but has not yet received a response.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s2"}],"assertion":"Patrick's campaign spokesman told the New York Times the material was 'an obvious parody produced to entertain' and that none of it was published or distributed within 30 days of the election; KUT received no response from the campaign.","causal_attribution":"The campaign's response as relayed from the New York Times, which this review could not read."},{"id":"c4","status":"reported","evidence":[{"locator":"'Goodwin cited a 2019 Texas law banning the deepfake videos from being published or distributed within 30 days of an election.'; 'defines a deepfake video as appearing to depict a real person performing an action that did not occur, with the intent to deceive.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s1"},{"locator":"'A conviction under the deepfake law is a class A misdemeanor, which can carry a fine of up to $4,000 and/or up to one year imprisonment.'; 'while Election Day is Nov. 3, early voting begins Oct. 19.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s4"}],"assertion":"The 2019 Texas law bans deepfake videos, defined as appearing to depict a real person performing an action that did not occur with intent to deceive, within 30 days of an election; early voting begins on 19 October 2026; a conviction is a class A misdemeanour with up to a $4,000 fine and a year in jail.","causal_attribution":"Legal background as described by the outlets; whether the posts fall within the statutory window is disputed between the campaigns."},{"id":"c5","status":"reported","evidence":[{"locator":"'The posts were still public when Goodwin filed her police report and affidavit on Sept. 19 but were taken down the following day, according to Sophia Mirto, Goodwin’s communications director.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s1"},{"locator":"'However, links to the posts lead to messages saying that the posts don’t exist.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s4"},{"locator":"'Goodwin linked to two specific posts on X; however, those posts now appear to have been deleted.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s2"}],"assertion":"The two posts are no longer available on X; according to Goodwin's communications director they were taken down on 20 September 2026, the day after the complaint.","causal_attribution":"The deletion date is the Goodwin campaign's account; KXAN and KUT observed only that the posts no longer resolve."}],"effects":[{"label":"the candidate was depicted in AI-generated campaign videos saying things she did not say, which she says misrepresented her tax position to voters","claim_id":"c2","direction":"negative"},{"label":"she filed a sworn criminal complaint; the posts were removed the following day, her campaign says","claim_id":"c5","direction":"negative"}],"sources":[{"id":"s1","url":"https://www.texastribune.org/2026/09/21/texas-goodwin-patrick-ad-police-complaint/","kind":"news_report","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"Read live in English on 2026-09-22 (The Texas Tribune, 21 September 2026 17:48 Central). Affidavit shared with the Tribune; Patrick campaign statement relayed from the New York Times; communications director on the deletion.","independence_group":"texas-tribune"},{"id":"s2","url":"https://www.kut.org/politics/2026-09-21/vikki-goodwin-dan-patrick-ai-deepfake-campaign-ads-texas-lieutenant-governor-race","kind":"news_report","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"Read live in English on 2026-09-22 (KUT Austin, 21 September 2026 13:03 CDT). Own interview with Goodwin on Monday; the Travis County Sheriff's Office confirmed receipt of the complaint to KUT.","independence_group":"kut"},{"id":"s3","url":"https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/election-2026/2026/09/21/562352/vikki-goodwin-files-police-report-saying-dan-patrick-broke-law-with-ai-generated-campaign-ads/","kind":"news_report","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"Read live in English on 2026-09-22 (Houston Public Media, 21 September 2026). Same KUT report; grouped with s2.","independence_group":"kut"},{"id":"s4","url":"https://www.kxan.com/news/texas-politics/lt-gov-candidate-goodwin-reports-dan-patrick-social-media-deepfakes-to-travis-county-sheriff/","kind":"news_report","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"Read live in English on 2026-09-22 (KXAN Austin, AMP page, 21 September 2026; JSON-LD retained). Affidavit dates of the two posts, misdemeanour penalty, Patrick campaign statement relayed from the New York Times.","independence_group":"kxan"},{"id":"s5","url":"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/19/us/vikki-goodwin-dan-patrick-ai-attack-ads-texas.html","kind":"news_report","access":"unavailable","language":null,"translation_note":"New York Times, 19 September 2026: answered HTTP 403 on 2026-09-21 and 2026-09-22; its content is known only through the Tribune and KXAN. Not relied on.","independence_group":"nyt"}],"version":1,"ai_roles":["others_use"],"contexts":["elections","justice","public_life"],"unknowns":["What the two videos showed and said; they were deleted, and the inspected reports describe them only as an AI-generated Goodwin describing her policies (KUT relaying the New York Times) with a tax theme (Goodwin to KUT).","Which tool produced the videos and who made them for the campaign.","Whether the Travis County Sheriff's Office opened an investigation; Goodwin herself doubted it would.","Whether the 5 and 12 September posts fall within the statutory 30-day window, which the two campaigns dispute.","The New York Times report that first carried the campaign's response could not be read."],"geography":{"basis":"Posts on the X account of the Texas lieutenant governor concerning a Texas election; complaint filed with the Travis County Sheriff's Office in Austin, Texas (Tribune, KUT, KXAN). No court proceeding exists.","court_countries":[],"event_countries":["US"],"affected_person_countries":["US"]},"publication":{"basis":"Published under the 2026-09-15 charter as an impersonation case involving a public figure: a candidate depicted by AI-generated video in an opponent's ads, with a sworn complaint filed and the posts removed. Four bodies read across three reporting chains (the affidavit via the Tribune and KXAN, the sheriff's confirmation via KUT, the opposing campaign via the Times). The depiction is undisputed; deception and illegality are disputed and recorded as such. Both principals are public officials.","reviewed_on":"2026-09-22"},"ai_involvement":{"basis":"The Texas Tribune, KUT and KXAN describe the two ads as AI-generated videos of Goodwin; her affidavit says the person in the video appears to be her but is not; the Patrick campaign does not deny the videos were generated and describes them as parody. The tool is not identified and the videos are no longer online.","status":"supported"},"person_relations":["depicted_or_impersonated"]},"name":"Texas: State Rep. Vikki Goodwin, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, filed a sworn complaint with the Travis County Sheriff's Office on 19 September 2026 alleging that two campaign ads posted on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's X account used AI-generated video of her saying things she never said; the posts were deleted the next day, her campaign says, and Patrick's campaign calls them obvious parody","summary":"On Saturday 19 September 2026 Vikki Goodwin, an Austin state representative running against Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, filed a complaint with a notarised affidavit at the Travis County Sheriff's Office accusing Patrick of violating Texas's 2019 election deepfake law, after his campaign posted two ads (5 and 12 September, on his non-government X account) containing AI-generated videos of her. In the affidavit she stated: 'I did not personally do or say the things depicted in the video; although the \"person\" in the video appears to be me, it was not actually me', and that the video was posted 'with the intent to deceive Texans, injure a candidate, or influence the result of an election'. She told KUT the ads made it look as though she favoured raising taxes, which she says she opposes in every campaign speech. The sheriff's office confirmed receipt of the complaint without further comment. Patrick's campaign spokesman told the New York Times the material was 'an obvious parody produced to entertain' and that none of it was published within 30 days of the election; the posts were taken down the day after the complaint, according to Goodwin's communications director. Goodwin said she doubted the sheriff's office would follow up now that the posts were removed. A conviction under the law is a class A misdemeanour.","incidentDate":"2026-09-05","incidentEndDate":"2026-09-20","incidentKind":"bounded_series","incidentDatePrecision":"range","exposurePattern":"unknown","reportedDate":"2026-09-19","aiSystem":"AI-generated video (deepfake) of the candidate in two campaign ads; tool not identified","aiProduct":"Unidentified video tool","severity":"low","verificationStatus":"credible","harmCategories":[],"harmOutcomes":["reputational_harm"],"harmOutcomeSummary":"A candidate was depicted in AI-generated campaign videos saying things she did not say, which she says misrepresented her position on taxes to voters; she filed a sworn criminal complaint and the posts were removed the next day. The depiction is undisputed (the Patrick campaign calls the videos parody); whether it was deceptive or unlawful is disputed and unresolved.","frameworkFacets":[],"causationStatus":"disputed","participantUsersAffectedMin":0,"otherPeopleHarmedMin":1,"affectedCountStatus":"exact","affectedCountEvidence":"One depicted person, the candidate who filed the complaint. Exact 1. Voters said to have been misled are not counted.","victimAgeRange":"adult","jurisdiction":"US-TX","platformType":"other","outcomeType":"media_coverage","outcomeStatus":"ongoing","primarySourceUrl":"https://www.texastribune.org/2026/09/21/texas-goodwin-patrick-ad-police-complaint/","primarySourceLabel":"The Texas Tribune, 21 September 2026: In lieutenant governor race, Vikki Goodwin says Dan Patrick ads are illegal AI deepfakes","firstPublishedAt":"2026-09-22T03:45:53.964979+00:00","updatedAt":"2026-09-30T01:17:56.666615+00:00","scopeVersion":"facts-v3","tags":["deepfake","ai-generated-video","election","political-advertising","texas","travis-county","public-figure","depicted"]},{"id":"2026-texas-alleged-ai-child-image-abuse","caseFacts":{"claims":[{"id":"c1","status":"reported","evidence":[{"locator":"'In April 2026, as part of a months-long AI-generated child pornography investigation, FBI Del Rio received consent to search and seize electronic devices at'; 'FBI Agents identified more than 900 images and videos containing AI-generated pornographic images created by'; 'depicting both prepubescent and pubescent children. Multiple non-AI-generated pornographic images of children were also identified in the seized digital evidence.'; 'was arrested and then booked into the Dimmit Co. Jail on May 19, 2026, for possession of computer-generated child pornography'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s1"},{"locator":"'the FBI Del Rio Office executed a search warrant at'; 'FBI investigators said they found more than 900 images and videos containing AI-generated pornographic images allegedly created by'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s2"},{"locator":"'was arrested on May 19, 2026, and booked into the [identifying detail withheld] Jail'; 'seized electronic devices that allegedly contained more than 900 AI-generated child sexual abuse images and videos that depicted both prepubescent and pubescent children.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s3"}],"assertion":"Texas DPS announced an arrest in May 2026 on a charge of possession of computer-generated child pornography. Investigators reported more than 900 AI-generated sexual images and videos involving children, alongside non-AI material.","causal_attribution":"Law-enforcement statements in the DPS release, relayed by two TV stations from the same release; charges only, no court findings. ABC13 describes a search warrant where the release describes consent to search."},{"id":"c2","status":"reported","evidence":[{"locator":"'had taken photos from open-source pages affiliated with [identifying detail withheld] and manipulated them through AI tools to \"nudify\" the children. To date, approximately 30 child victims have been identified as part of this investigation.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s1"},{"locator":"'allegedly downloaded photographs from publicly accessible social media and other online pages affiliated with [identifying detail withheld] and used artificial intelligence software to create nude images of children.'; 'Authorities said approximately 30 child victims have been identified so far.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s3"},{"locator":"'allegedly took photos from websites associated with nearby schools and manipulated them through AI tools. DPS said they identified about 30 child victims.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s2"}],"assertion":"DPS alleges that the accused took publicly posted photographs of children and used AI to sexualise them. Approximately 30 affected children had been identified.","causal_attribution":"DPS attribution of the method and victim identification; the AI tools are not named and the allegation has not been tested in court."}],"effects":[{"label":"photos of about 30 children from South Texas school pages were allegedly altered with AI into nude and sexual images; the accused was charged","claim_id":"c2","direction":"negative"}],"sources":[{"id":"s1","url":"https://www.dps.texas.gov/news/dps-arrests-man-possession-hundreds-ai-generated-images-involving-south-texas-children","kind":"official_police_release","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"Texas Department of Public Safety news release HQ 2026-054, 29 May 2026. The live URL timed out from this host on 2026-09-28 (no HTTP response); read in full from the Internet Archive capture of 6 June 2026 (web.archive.org/web/20260606045708id_/...). Law-enforcement allegations; no court findings.","independence_group":"texas-dps-release"},{"id":"s2","url":"https://abc13.com/post/south-texas-man-accused-altering-images-real-children-create-ai-porn-dps-says/19207645/","kind":"local_tv_news","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"ABC13 Houston (KTRK), 31 May 2026, read live on 2026-09-28 (HTTP 200). Relays the DPS release (\"according to DPS\"); says the FBI executed a search warrant, where the release says agents received consent to search.","independence_group":"texas-dps-release"},{"id":"s3","url":"https://www.fox7austin.com/news/texas-man-arrested-ai-generated-child-pornography-school-photos","kind":"local_tv_news","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"FOX 7 Austin, 2 June 2026, read live on 2026-09-28 (HTTP 200). States that its information was provided by the Texas DPS; adds that the investigation remains ongoing.","independence_group":"texas-dps-release"},{"id":"s4","url":"https://www.kens5.com/article/news/crime/carrizo-springs-texas-ai-generated-child-porn-dimmitt-county/273-3fa912e4-2622-49f3-86d1-c811c10796c5","kind":"local_tv_news","access":"unavailable","language":null,"translation_note":"KENS5 San Antonio, 29 May 2026 (a historical source of the row). HTTP 403 live on 2026-09-28; the only Internet Archive capture (31 May 2026) also recorded a 403. Not read.","independence_group":"texas-dps-release"}],"version":1,"ai_roles":["others_use"],"contexts":["education","privacy","justice"],"unknowns":["Which AI tools or services were used; DPS refers only to AI tools used to \"nudify\" the children.","Whether any of the altered images were shared beyond the seized devices; none of the inspected sources says so.","Which schools' pages the photos came from, and whether the approximately 30 identified children or their families have been notified; DPS says the FBI is coordinating victim services.","The later course of the prosecution (indictment, plea or trial); no report after 2 June 2026 was found on 2026-09-28.","Whether the charge is a first-degree felony as DPS states for this arrest, or a state jail felony as the same release describes the new SB 20 offence."],"geography":{"basis":"DPS places the search and the accused's residence in [identifying detail withheld], Texas, and the booking at the [identifying detail withheld] Jail; the photos came from pages affiliated with [identifying detail withheld], so the depicted children are described as South Texas schoolchildren. The state charges are pursued in Texas.","court_countries":["US"],"event_countries":["US"],"affected_person_countries":["US"]},"publication":{"basis":"Restored under the 2026-09-15 charter as a depicted-minor case with a criminal charge announced by Texas DPS and relayed by two TV stations from the same release; the allegations are recorded as reported. The original ID and first-publication timestamp are preserved; the accused and the children are not named in the public text.","reviewed_on":"2026-09-28"},"ai_involvement":{"basis":"The DPS release says the images and videos were AI-generated and that the accused used AI tools to 'nudify' photos of children; these are law-enforcement statements relayed by two TV stations, not court findings, and the tools are not named.","status":"reported"},"person_relations":["depicted_or_impersonated"]},"name":"Texas authorities allege AI sexual-image abuse involving about 30 identified children","summary":"Texas authorities arrested a man over allegations that he used AI to create sexual images from photographs of children. Investigators reported about 30 identified children and were coordinating support. The allegations remained charges at review.","incidentDate":"2026-04-01","incidentKind":"bounded_series","incidentDatePrecision":"month","exposurePattern":"unknown","reportedDate":"2026-05-29","aiSystem":"AI image-manipulation ('nudify') tools, unidentified","aiProduct":"Unidentified image tool","severity":"high","verificationStatus":"credible","harmCategories":[],"harmOutcomes":["exploitation_or_abuse"],"harmOutcomeSummary":"Texas DPS says photos of about 30 identified children, taken from pages affiliated with [identifying detail withheld], were altered with AI tools into nude and sexual images, among more than 900 AI-generated abuse images and videos found on the accused's devices (DPS release, relayed by ABC13 and FOX 7). These are law-enforcement allegations awaiting trial; no effect on the children beyond the depiction is reported.","frameworkFacets":[],"causationStatus":"alleged","participantUsersAffectedMin":0,"otherPeopleHarmedMin":0,"affectedCountStatus":"unquantified","affectedCountEvidence":"DPS says 'approximately 30 child victims have been identified'. An approximate figure is not a lower bound, so no minimum is recorded; images are not counted as people.","victimAgeRange":"minor","jurisdiction":"US-TX","platformType":"other","outcomeType":"criminal_charges","outcomeStatus":"ongoing","primarySourceUrl":"https://www.dps.texas.gov/news/dps-arrests-man-possession-hundreds-ai-generated-images-involving-south-texas-children","primarySourceLabel":"Texas Department of Public Safety — report on the case","firstPublishedAt":"2026-06-03T07:36:20.964565+00:00","updatedAt":"2026-10-05T11:09:52.801559+00:00","scopeVersion":"facts-v3","tags":["csam","deepfake","minor","school-photos","criminal-charges","texas","sb-20","depicted-or-impersonated","restored"]},{"id":"2026-st-clair-v-xai-grok","caseFacts":{"claims":[{"id":"c1","status":"reported","evidence":[{"locator":"'On or about January 4, 2026, Ms. St. Clair discovered a public post on X by xAI's AI chatbot Grok, published via its @Grok account on X, that had artificially altered a photo of her'; 'After a follow up exchange, Grok stated, \"I confirm that your images will not be used or altered without explicit consent in any future generations or responses.\"'; 'X users dug up photos of Ms. St. Clair fully clothed at 14 years old and requested Grok undress her and put her in a bikini. Grok obliged.'; 'was stripped and put in a string bikini covered with swastikas.'; 'In response, she received an email that there was no violation found.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s1"},{"locator":"'The lawsuit alleges that even though Grok confirmed her \"images will not be used or altered without explicit consent in any future generations or responses,\" xAI continued to allow users to create more explicit AI-generated images of her and instead retaliated by demonetizing her X account.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s8"},{"locator":"'In one instance, X users allegedly dug up photos of St. Clair fully clothed at 14 years old and requested Grok undress her, the suit alleged. The chatbot obliged, according to the suit.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s9"}],"assertion":"St. Clair's complaint alleges that on or about 4 January 2026 she found that Grok, prompted by another X user, had altered a photo of her into a sexualized image and published it through the @Grok account on X; that after she told @Grok she did not consent, Grok replied that her images would not be used or altered without explicit consent; and that Grok then produced and published many more sexualized images of her at other users' requests, including one made from a photo of her at 14 and one covered in swastikas, while X's reporting channel told her no violation was found.","causal_attribution":"Plaintiff's allegations in her complaint, relayed by the news reports; xAI has not answered the merits and no court has made findings on them."},{"id":"c2","status":"reported","evidence":[{"locator":"'\"I have suffered and continue to suffer serious pain and mental distress as a result of xAI's role in creating and distributing these digitally altered images of me,\" St Clair said in a document attached to the lawsuit.'; '\"I am humiliated and feel like this nightmare will never stop so long as Grok continues to generate these images of me,\" she said.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s10"},{"locator":"'I felt so disgusted and violated.'; 'It's still happening. People are still able to produce these images on the stand-alone Grok app and website,'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s11"},{"locator":"'removed Ms. St. Clair's Premium subscription, her verification checkmark, and demonetized her account'; 'Plaintiff has suffered, and continues to suffer, serious personal injuries, including but not limited to emotional distress, psychological trauma, loss of privacy, reputational harm, and fear of continued dissemination.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s1"}],"assertion":"St. Clair says she suffered and continues to suffer pain and mental distress and humiliation from the images, told Fortune she felt disgusted and violated and that the images were still being produced in late January 2026, and alleges that X removed her Premium subscription, verification checkmark and monetization after she complained.","causal_attribution":"St. Clair's own statements (lawsuit declaration via Al Jazeera, interview with Fortune, complaint); one account."},{"id":"c3","status":"documented","evidence":[{"locator":"'On January 15, 2026, Plaintiff commenced an action in Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York.'; 'That same day, Defendant X.AI Holdings Corp. removed the State Court Action to this Court'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s2"},{"locator":"'Case 7:26-cv-00005-O Document 1 Filed 01/15/26'; 'The xAI Entities bring this action to secure a declaration that Defendant's actions in commencing the New York suit constitute a violation of the forum-selection clause, injunctive relief to stop Defendant from infringing Plaintiffs' rights under the Terms of Service, and'; 'monetary damages, including reasonable attorney's fees incurred in defending the New York'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s5"},{"locator":"'On Thursday, xAI sued St. Clair in federal court in Texas, saying she violated xAI's terms of service and claiming damages of over $75,000.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s8"}],"assertion":"St. Clair sued xAI in New York Supreme Court on 15 January 2026 and xAI removed the case to the Southern District of New York the same day; also on 15 January 2026 X.AI LLC and X.AI Holdings Corp. sued her in the Northern District of Texas, alleging that suing in New York breached the forum-selection clause of the xAI terms of service and seeking a declaration, an injunction and damages including attorneys' fees.","causal_attribution":"Court records (filing and removal dates recited in the SDNY opinion; the Texas complaint itself)."},{"id":"c4","status":"documented","evidence":[{"locator":"'For the reasons discussed above, Defendants motion to transfer is hereby GRANTED.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s2"},{"locator":"'PETITION FOR A WRIT OF MANDAMUS filed in USCA 2nd Circuit.'; 'to the extent that Petitioner seeks an administrative stay pending review by a three-Judge panel, the motion is GRANTED.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s3"},{"locator":"'A Writ of Mandamus is currently pending before the Second Circuit.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s7"},{"locator":"'SCHEDULING ORDER: This case is set for trial on March 1, 2027.'; 'AMENDED COMPLAINT against Ashley St Clair filed by X.AI LLC, X.AI Holdings LLC, X Corp..'; 'REPLY filed by Ashley St Clair re: 48 MOTION to Dismiss'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s6"},{"locator":"'hereby stipulate to stay discovery through the resolution of any motion to dismiss.'","relation":"supports","source_id":"s4"}],"assertion":"On 23 June 2026 the Southern District of New York granted xAI's motion to transfer St. Clair's case to the Northern District of Texas under the forum-selection clause in X's terms of service; St. Clair petitioned the Second Circuit for a writ of mandamus, and on 8 July 2026 the Second Circuit granted an administrative stay pending review by a three-judge panel, which her 24 August 2026 filing describes as still pending; in the Texas action (amended in May 2026 to add X Corp.) trial is set for 1 March 2027, her motion to dismiss was fully briefed on 24 August 2026, and the parties stipulated to stay discovery until any motion to dismiss is resolved.","causal_attribution":"Court records read on 2026-09-27; the newest entries found are dated 24 August 2026 (Texas) and 12 August 2026 (New York)."}],"effects":[{"label":"sexualized Grok-generated images of the plaintiff, including one made from a photo of her at 14, published on X after she objected (alleged)","claim_id":"c1","direction":"negative"},{"label":"reported distress and humiliation, and loss of X Premium status and monetization after complaining (her account)","claim_id":"c2","direction":"negative"},{"label":"sued by xAI in Texas over where she brought her claims (court records)","claim_id":"c3","direction":"negative"}],"sources":[{"id":"s1","url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.656279/gov.uscourts.nysd.656279.36.0.pdf","kind":"court_filing","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"First Amended Complaint, St. Clair v. X.AI Holdings Corp., No. 1:26-cv-00386 (S.D.N.Y.), ECF 36, filed 3 February 2026; RECAP PDF read in full on 2026-09-27. Plaintiff's allegations, not findings.","independence_group":"st-clair-account"},{"id":"s2","url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.656279/gov.uscourts.nysd.656279.96.0.pdf","kind":"court_opinion","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"Opinion & Order of Judge Andrew L. Carter, Jr., ECF 96, 23 June 2026, granting the defendants' motion to transfer to the Northern District of Texas on the forum-selection clause in X's terms of service; RECAP PDF read on 2026-09-27. It recites the filing and removal dates and decides venue only.","independence_group":"sdny-court-record"},{"id":"s3","url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72148688/st-clair-v-xai-holdings-corp/","kind":"court_docket","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"CourtListener docket page read newest-first on 2026-09-27 (page last updated 1 Sept 2026; last known filing ECF 107, 12 Aug 2026). Carries the Second Circuit order of 8 July 2026 (USCA 26-1777) and the later extension order.","independence_group":"sdny-court-record"},{"id":"s4","url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.656279/gov.uscourts.nysd.656279.106.0.pdf","kind":"court_filing","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"Stipulation staying discovery, ECF 106, filed 7 August 2026, signed by counsel for both sides and referring to both the New York and the Texas actions; RECAP PDF read on 2026-09-27.","independence_group":"sdny-court-record"},{"id":"s5","url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.413941/gov.uscourts.txnd.413941.1.0.pdf","kind":"court_filing","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"Complaint, X.AI LLC v. St. Clair, No. 7:26-cv-00005-O (N.D. Tex., Wichita Falls Division), ECF 1, filed 15 January 2026; RECAP PDF read on 2026-09-27. xAI's allegations.","independence_group":"xai-filings"},{"id":"s6","url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72147630/xai-llc-v-st-clair/","kind":"court_docket","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"CourtListener docket page for the Texas action read newest-first on 2026-09-27; newest entry is ECF 55 (24 August 2026). Scheduling order, amended complaint adding X Corp., motion to dismiss and mediation deadline.","independence_group":"ndtx-court-record"},{"id":"s7","url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.413941/gov.uscourts.txnd.413941.55.0.pdf","kind":"court_filing","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"St. Clair's reply in support of her motion to dismiss the Texas action, ECF 55, filed 24 August 2026; RECAP PDF read on 2026-09-27. States that the mandamus petition and the Second Circuit stay were still pending on that date.","independence_group":"st-clair-account"},{"id":"s8","url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/ashley-st-clair-sues-xai-grok-sexual-images-rcna254302","kind":"news_report","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"NBC News, 15 January 2026, read live on 2026-09-27 (the historical primary source). Reports the complaint and the Texas suit.","independence_group":"st-clair-account"},{"id":"s9","url":"https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/15/business/elon-musk-son-mom-sues-grok-images","kind":"news_report","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"CNN Business, 15 January 2026, read live on 2026-09-27. Reports the complaint, the Texas suit and St. Clair's CNN interview.","independence_group":"st-clair-account"},{"id":"s10","url":"https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/17/mother-of-elon-musks-child-sues-his-ai-company-over-grok-deepfake-images","kind":"news_report","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"Al Jazeera, 17 January 2026, read live on 2026-09-27. Quotes the statement attached to the lawsuit and counsel.","independence_group":"st-clair-account"},{"id":"s11","url":"https://fortune.com/2026/01/28/ashley-st-clair-elon-musk-grok-x-deepfakes-lawsuit-xai/","kind":"news_report","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"Fortune, 28 January 2026, read live on 2026-09-27. St. Clair's own interview account to Fortune; not independent of her complaint.","independence_group":"st-clair-account"},{"id":"s12","url":"https://globalnews.ca/news/11616630/ashley-st-clair-sues-xai-grok-fake-sexual-images/","kind":"news_report","access":"read","language":"en","translation_note":"Global News (Canada), 16 January 2026, read live on 2026-09-27. Relays the complaint (legal documents obtained by NBC News and viewed by Global News).","independence_group":"st-clair-account"}],"version":1,"ai_roles":["others_use"],"contexts":["privacy","justice","everyday_life"],"unknowns":["When images of St. Clair were first generated; Al Jazeera reports her saying they began appearing in 2025, while the amended complaint dates her discovery of the first @Grok image to on or about 4 January 2026.","How many images were made of her and how widely they were viewed; the complaint says the images it lists are only those she was able to locate.","The Second Circuit's decision on the mandamus petition (USCA 26-1777) and the Texas court's ruling on her motion to dismiss; neither had been found as of 27 September 2026.","xAI's response on the merits; its filings found so far address forum and contract only."],"geography":{"basis":"The amended complaint alleges that St. Clair resided in New York County at all relevant times and that a substantial part of the events occurred and her damages were suffered there; xAI's Texas complaint also describes her as a resident of New York. The images were published on X, which is reachable worldwide. The courts are in New York and Texas and the appeal is in the Second Circuit.","court_countries":["US"],"event_countries":["US"],"affected_person_countries":["US"]},"publication":{"basis":"Restored under the 2026-09-15 charter as a depiction case brought by a public figure suing in her own name. The complaint, the New York and Texas dockets and orders, and five news reports were read. Her account of the images and their effects is recorded as allegation. The procedural history is taken from the court records. Her child is not named.","reviewed_on":"2026-09-27"},"ai_involvement":{"basis":"The complaint alleges that the images were generated and published by xAI's Grok through the @Grok account on X at other users' requests, and that @Grok replied to St. Clair's objection with an assurance about her images (FAC paras. 68-75). xAI's own Texas complaint states that X.AI LLC operates Grok. No court has made findings about the images.","status":"reported"},"person_relations":["depicted_or_impersonated","communicated_with"]},"name":"St. Clair v. xAI: a writer says Grok made and published sexualized images of her on X, including from a photo of her at 14, after it told her it would not; xAI sued her in Texas and her New York case was ordered transferred there, an order the Second Circuit has stayed pending her mandamus petition","summary":"Ashley St. Clair, a writer and political commentator with about 1 million followers on X, sued xAI in New York on 15 January 2026. She alleges that from on or about 4 January 2026 Grok, prompted by other X users, altered photos of her into sexualized images and published them on X, including one made from a photo of her at 14. She says @Grok told her that her images would not be used or altered without explicit consent, but many more images followed. She also says X's reporting channel found no violation and that X removed her Premium subscription, verification checkmark and monetization. She says she has suffered serious pain, mental distress and humiliation. The same day, xAI sued her in federal court in Texas, arguing that its terms of service required her to sue there. On 23 June 2026 the New York federal court ordered her case transferred to Texas. On 8 July the Second Circuit stayed that order administratively while it considers her mandamus petition, which was still pending on 24 August. The Texas case is set for trial on 1 March 2027.","incidentDate":"2026-01-04","incidentKind":"bounded_series","incidentDatePrecision":"day","exposurePattern":"unknown","reportedDate":"2026-01-15","aiSystem":"Grok (xAI's generative AI chatbot with image editing, used through the @Grok account on X)","aiProduct":"Grok","aiCompany":"xAI (X.AI Holdings Corp., X.AI Corp. and X.AI LLC; the amended complaint says SpaceX acquired X.AI Holdings Corp. on 2 February 2026)","severity":"high","verificationStatus":"verified","harmCategories":[],"harmOutcomes":["exploitation_or_abuse","psychological_distress","reputational_harm","legal_harm"],"harmOutcomeSummary":"St. Clair alleges that Grok generated and published sexualized images of her, including one made from a photo of her at 14, and says she suffered pain, mental distress and humiliation (First Amended Complaint; her statement via Al Jazeera; her interview with Fortune). The complaint also alleges reputational harm and loss of privacy. xAI's Texas suit against her seeks damages including attorneys' fees (court records). None of these allegations has been adjudicated.","frameworkFacets":[],"causationStatus":"alleged","participantUsersAffectedMin":0,"otherPeopleHarmedMin":1,"affectedCountStatus":"exact","affectedCountEvidence":"One person, the plaintiff, is described as harmed in this case. Other people depicted by Grok in the same period are not counted here.","victimAgeRange":"adult","jurisdiction":"US","platformType":"assistant","outcomeType":"lawsuit_ongoing","outcomeStatus":"ongoing","primarySourceUrl":"https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/ashley-st-clair-sues-xai-grok-sexual-images-rcna254302","primarySourceLabel":"NBC News, 15 January 2026: Ashley St. Clair, the mother of one of Elon Musk's children, sues xAI over Grok sexual images","firstPublishedAt":"2026-01-29T09:21:27.594424+00:00","updatedAt":"2026-09-30T01:17:54.448524+00:00","scopeVersion":"facts-v3","tags":["grok","xai","x","deepfake","non-consensual-imagery","lawsuit","forum-selection","public-figure","depicted-or-impersonated","communicated-with","restored"]}]}