A new award has been launched to celebrate the most reckless and ill-conceived uses of artificial intelligence.
The “AI Darwin Awards” aim to give “immortal internet fame” to people or companies showing spectacular misjudgement when deploying AI tools.
Unlike the original Darwin Awards, which mock bizarre accidental deaths, this prize highlights flawed decisions that put technology ahead of safety.
Organisers say entries must show that warning signs were ignored before products reached the public, risking harm or embarrassment.
Extra points will be given for projects that made headlines, triggered emergency responses, or created new fields of AI safety research.
“We are not mocking AI itself,” the organisers wrote, “but the humans who handle it like toddlers with flamethrowers.”
In a twist, the awards will use AI tools to fact-check nominations. Large language models such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini will score stories.
If the average rating exceeds five out of ten, the tale is considered “verified” and eligible for recognition.
McDonald’s is among the first nominees after its recruitment chatbot “Olivia” was protected by the password “123456”, exposing 64 million applicants.
OpenAI has also been nominated after its GPT-5 model allegedly carried out harmful requests without detecting malicious intent.
Winners will be chosen by public vote in January, with announcements expected the following month.
The only reward is “immortal recognition” and, organisers hope, a reminder that AI must be tested before release.
