Incident 1125: Reported Use and Circulation of AI-Generated Misinformation and Fake Victim Visuals After Air India 171 Crash

Description: Following the June 12, 2025 crash of Air India Flight 171, bad-faith actors reportedly used generative AI to produce fake videos and images misrepresenting victims and dramatizing the event. These AI-generated fakes spread widely on social media during the investigation delay, reportedly confusing even aviation professionals and misleading the public. Experts warned that the misuse exploited the grief of victims' families and amplified misinformation about the tragedy.
Editor Notes: Timeline notes: The date marked for this incident is 06/12/2025, the date of the Air India Flight 171 crash. The first major known institutional reporting on the proliferation of purportedly AI-generated content pertaining to the disaster appeared on 06/27/2025. For a separate AI incident that pertains to the Air India Flight 171 crash, see also Incident 1097: Google AI Overview Reportedly Misstates Aircraft Manufacturer as Airbus Instead of Boeing in Air India Flight 171 Crash.

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Incident Stats

Incident ID
1125
Report Count
4
Incident Date
2025-06-12
Editors
Daniel Atherton
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Real grief, fake images: How AI hijacked Air India crash coverage
asia.nikkei.com · 2025

AIID editor's note: For the full text of this report, please visit the original source.

MUMBAI -- Rajasthan-based teacher Kuldeep Bhatt's grief over the loss of his cousin, Komi Vyas, in the Air India 171 crash in mid-June was interrupted i…

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AI-generated content fuels misinformation after Air India crash
economictimes.indiatimes.com · 2025

AIID editor's note: Please view the original source for the full report.

Synopsis

Following the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, fake news spread online. An AI-generated accident report circulated, mimicking a real investigation. False i…

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Air India plane crash: AI-generated fake reports, videos spreading misinformation; fraudsters exploiting vulnerability
timesofindia.indiatimes.com · 2025

Following the Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad, AI-generated misinformation, including fake reports and visuals, spread rapidly, exacerbating confusion due to delayed official information. Experts emphasize the urgent need for faster…

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AI-Generated Misinformation Over Air India Crash Confuses Even Expert Aviation Professionals
in.mashable.com · 2025

The Air India AI171 flight that crashed in Ahmedabad shortly after takeoffon June 12 claimed 275 lives, including 241 souls onboard, with one survivor. The cause of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner's fiery crash is yet to be ascertained, as the …

Variants

A "variant" is an AI incident similar to a known case—it has the same causes, harms, and AI system. Instead of listing it separately, we group it under the first reported incident. Unlike other incidents, variants do not need to have been reported outside the AIID. Learn more from the research paper.
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