Juno-Winning Canadian Musicians Concert Canceled After AI Falsely Labels Him a Sex Offender

In a chilling example of artificial intelligence impacting real-world livelihoods, celebrated Canadian fiddler Ashley MacIsaac saw a scheduled concert abruptly canceled last week after a Google AI summary falsely identified him as a convicted sex offender.

The incident, which occurred just days before Christmas 2025, highlights the growing legal and ethical dangers of "AI Overviews" and automated background checks that scrape the web without context.

The Algorithm’s Accusation
MacIsaac, a Juno Award-winning musician known for blending traditional Celtic fiddle with rock and grunge, was set to perform at the Sipekne'katik First Nation, north of Halifax, on December 19. However, organizers canceled the event after conducting a Google search on the artist.

Instead of standard search results, the organizers were presented with an AI-generated summary that falsely claimed MacIsaac was listed on the national sex offender registry. The AI tool erroneously asserted he had been convicted of multiple crimes, including sexual assault, internet luring, and assaulting a woman.


"You are being put into a less secure situation because of a media company — that's what defamation is," MacIsaac told The Canadian Press in an interview. "I could have been at a border and put in jail."

A Case of Mistaken Identity
The defamatory output appears to have been a "hallucination" caused by the AI conflating the famous musician with another individual in Atlantic Canada who shares the same last name and had been the subject of local news reports regarding criminal charges.

Unlike a human researcher, the AI failed to distinguish between the two distinct individuals, presenting the criminal history of a stranger as the biography of the 50-year-old virtuoso.

Apologies and Legal Fears
Following the cancellation, the Sipekne'katik First Nation issued a public apology to MacIsaac, acknowledging that the decision was based on incorrect information. "We deeply regret the harm this caused to your reputation and livelihood," the community stated in an online post.


While MacIsaac has received an apology, the incident has left him shaken regarding his professional future and ability to travel. He noted that if a similar AI summary were to pop up on a border agent’s screen while touring internationally, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Big Tech’s Response
When reached for comment, a Google Canada spokesperson released a standard statement noting that their AI features are "frequently changing" to provide helpful information and that they use such errors to improve their systems.

MacIsaac, however, is calling for accountability. While he admitted he lacks the funds for a protracted legal battle against a tech giant, he indicated he has been approached by law firms interested in the case.


"I’m not the first, and I’m sure I won’t be the last," MacIsaac warned.