Three hikers rescued after Gemini packed too little food and water in their trip plan

Three hikers got into trouble on the US mountain Mount Shasta and had to be rescued by rescue workers.

The reason was simple: they had asked Google Gemini for advice on provisions for the trip, and the AI had recommended far less food and water than the trip required.

It is yet another example of how AI can sound convincing without having a grip on reality, especially when it comes to concrete, physical conditions such as weather, terrain and supply needs.

For you, this means: feel free to use AI for inspiration and a first overview, but always check practical and safety-critical details with an expert source or an experienced friend, especially if it involves something that can go wrong in the wild.

There is no reason to drop AI tools because of this, but a healthy 'trust, but verify' principle is in order when the advice moves off the screen and out into real terrain.