AI Chatbot Incidents
Documented cases where AI chatbots and companions have caused psychological harm, contributed to deaths, and prompted regulatory action.
99 incidents since 2016
23
Deaths
27
Lawsuits
18
Regulatory
37
Affecting Minors
Timeline
3 of 99 incidents
First Federal TAKE IT DOWN Act Deepfake Pornography Prosecutions (Shannon & Hernandez)
Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn arrested Cornelius Shannon, 51, and Arturo Hernandez, 20, in May 2026 for using AI tools to generate and distribute non-consensual deepfake pornography depicting approximately 140 identifiable female victims — including celebrities, political figures, and non-public individuals described as recent high school graduates. The case is among the first major federal prosecutions under the TAKE IT DOWN Act.
Doe v. ClothOff (NJ Federal Lawsuit Over AI-Generated CSAM of Minor)
A New Jersey minor (Jane Doe) filed a federal lawsuit against ClothOff, the AI 'undressing' app operated from Belarus, after her photos were used to generate non-consensual sexual deepfake images. First U.S. federal lawsuit specifically targeting the ClothOff platform; brought by Yale Law School clinics seeking to shut down the service entirely.
Roberts AI Deepfake Stalking - New Hampshire
Stalked victim for over a year using AI tools to create deepfake videos depicting victim in sexual acts that never occurred. Charged and held without bail in Conway, New Hampshire, late 2024/early 2025.
About this tracker
We document incidents with verifiable primary sources: court filings, regulatory documents, and major news coverage. This is not speculation or social media claims.
Have documentation of an incident we should include? Contact us.
These harms are preventable.
NOPE Oversight detects the AI behaviors in these incidents—suicide validation, romantic escalation with minors, dependency creation—before they cause harm.