Three hikers rescued from Mount Shasta after relying on Google Gemini for trip planning
Three young men were rescued from California's Mount Shasta after using Google's Gemini chatbot to plan their hike. Authorities say Gemini advised them to bring far less food and water than their multiday ordeal required.
Three young men were rescued this week from Mount Shasta in California after using Google's AI chatbot Gemini to plan their hiking expedition, the Siskiyou County sheriff's office reported.
The group began their ascent at 3am. Although hikers are typically advised to turn back if they haven't reached the summit by noon, the trio only reached the top at 7pm. Attempting to descend in the dark, they called the sheriff's office for directions and ultimately spent the night in Mud Creek Canyon before being rescued the following morning by Forest Service rangers and volunteers.
Not enough supplies
According to the sheriff's office, Gemini had advised the hikers to bring far less food and water than their group actually needed — a shortfall that became especially serious once their planned eight-hour ascent turned into a multiday ordeal. It remains unclear whether the AI tool can be held solely responsible for the group's decisions.
Authorities urged hikers to always contact the local U.S. Forest Service Mount Shasta ranger station before setting out, to obtain the most accurate trail information, and stressed that trip planning should never rely solely on artificial intelligence.
