Wired reports that chatbots are leading hikers into dangerous situations

A Wired report, originally published by High Country News, describes cases in which hikers used chatbots to plan outings and ended up in dangerous situations. Three young men on Mount Shasta in California said they partly relied on Gemini; they reached the summit late, descended in the dark, and needed rescue. In another case, a visitor camped near a “No Camping” sign while claiming AI had said she could. A teenager rescued from a ledge in British Columbia had used Claude, although he had also consulted Google Maps and AllTrails.

The article cites experts who see specific risks in chatbots’ persuasive but incorrect answers. Chris Flathmann of Clemson University calls the possibility that users stop thinking critically when treating AI as an expert “cognitive surrender.” It remains unclear whether increased AI use will lead to more accidents and rescues in remote areas.