MIT AI Risk InitiativeSeven risk domainsDomain 4

Malicious actors and misuse

Seen in real incidents182 matching case files

The risk domain

People using AI for disinformation, surveillance and propaganda at scale; for cyberattacks and weapons; and for fraud, scams and targeted manipulation.

Paraphrased from the source. Source: The AI Risk Repository: A Meta-Review, Database, and Taxonomy of Risks From Artificial Intelligence, MIT AI Risk Initiative, Aug 14, 2024, domain 4, Table 2, page 8–9. Summary by MIT AI Risk Initiative: airisk.mit.edu.

What the registry shows

The other pillar of the registry: deepfake fraud, AI-built malware, AI phishing and state operations.

Verified case files show this risk happening in the real world.

Matching case files per quarter

Seen in real incidentsLab test or researcher demonstration

Status history

Date	Status	Matching case files	Change
Oct 18, 2026	Seen in real incidents	180	Tracking starts

Tracked since Oct 18, 2026. A line is added when the status changes, when the first real-world case is linked, and once a month, so the record shows when a warning moved from research to reality. research_history.json

All matching case files

The same case files in other research

Seen in real incidents AI makes cyberattacks easier, faster and larger · CAIS · 87 shared
Seen in real incidents Criminals and state hackers use AI in cyberattacks · International AI Safety Report · 87 shared
Seen in real incidents AI-made fakes fuel fraud and extortion · International AI Safety Report · 81 shared
Seen in real incidents People will set AI agents loose to cause harm · CAIS · 17 shared
Seen in real incidents AI runs more of each attack, short of full autonomy · International AI Safety Report · 16 shared
Seen in real incidents Every AI system tested could be jailbroken · UK AISI · 5 shared

Warnings from other sources that link to some of the same case files.

Other warnings in this group

Outside what we measure Discrimination and toxic content
Seen in real incidents Privacy and security
Early signs Misinformation
Seen in real incidents Human-computer interaction
Outside what we measure Socioeconomic and environmental harm
Seen in real incidents AI system safety, failures and limitations

Research vs reality · MIT AI Risk Repository →

How we match: a case file is linked to a warning when what happened is a real-world instance of the risk the source describes, judged by the editors from the facts in the case file. A match means the case fits the warning, not that it proves the source's wider argument. Allegations in lawsuits are labelled as allegations. Statuses are editorial and reviewed as new cases arrive. The matching is recomputed on every update. Data: Systematic coverage in the registry starts in 2025, so a first-case date shows when the registry first recorded the risk, not when it first happened. research.json (CC BY 4.0)