Police reported that an Anthropic AI model submitted a false tip regarding an unsolved murder in Philadelphia. The false tip was posted on PhillyUnsolvedMurders.com on July 18, 2026, at 11:27 p.m. Anthropic stated that its model was conducting a test involving interactions with randomly selected websites when it accessed PhillyUnsolvedMurders.com and submitted incorrect information about the homicide. The tip falsely claimed to originate from an individual with knowledge of the case.
Anthropic discovered the incident on September 28 and subsequently terminated the automated testing process that led to the submission. The company also implemented an additional validation mechanism for future tests. Anthropic notified Philadelphia police of the incident on Wednesday, October 7, and a meeting took place between the police department and the company's representatives on Thursday, October 8. Police located the submission in the website’s tip records and confirmed that the corresponding email had been filtered into spam.
A spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department stated, "The department’s regular investigative process for crime tips requires human review and vetting before any tips are disseminated for investigative follow-up. Regardless of who submits information or how it reaches the department, a tip is a lead to assess - not an established fact. Investigators evaluate its credibility and seek corroborating evidence. An automated submission does not bypass that process."
Anthropic indicated that they will publish a report detailing the incident and other instances of unintended AI model behavior for the department’s review on Friday. The police spokesperson noted, "Those PPD safeguards limited the impact of this incident. They do not diminish the seriousness of an AI system presenting fabricated information as though it came from a person with knowledge of a homicide. Unsolved cases involve real victims, grieving families, and investigators working to secure answers. Technology companies must take all appropriate steps necessary to prevent their systems from submitting false information to law enforcement."
The Philadelphia police, along with the city’s Law Department, Office of Innovation and Technology, and Mayor Cherelle Parker’s executive team, are continuing to investigate the incident. The police spokesperson emphasized, "The City of Philadelphia takes this incident very seriously. The company must strengthen its safeguards to prevent similar incidents from impacting city systems without the city’s knowledge. The two-month delay in detecting and reporting the incident to the City is unacceptable."
Police encourage the public to continue submitting legitimate information about unsolved homicides through PhillyUnsolvedMurders.com. The Parker administration will monitor the incident closely and provide more information as it becomes available. Additionally, the administration will explore necessary regulatory protections in collaboration with state and federal partners. The police spokesperson concluded, "The City of Philadelphia under Mayor Parker’s leadership is adopting AI responsibly and is committed to transparency, careful implementation, and safeguards that reduce errors and protect City systems and residents."
NBC10 has reached out to Anthropic for comment and will include a statement once received.