Hikers rescued after AI misroutes, strands them on Mount Shasta

Three California hikers who used Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence assistant to plan their Mount Shasta climb had to be rescued after becoming stranded in a steep canyon, local authorities said.

The three men from Roseville, California, made camp at about 8,400 feet on Saturday, Aug. 29, before setting out for the summit with their daypacks at 3 a.m. the following morning, according to the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office.

After the rescue, the hikers told a sheriff's deputy they relied heavily on Gemini for information about the Clear Creek Route and advice on what to pack. Authorities said the AI assistant recommended the group bring less food and water than they needed for what was initially expected to be an eight-hour climb. Instead, the outing stretched into a multi-day ordeal.

The hikers did not reach the summit until about 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, well past the sheriff's office's recommended noon turnaround time.

Mount Shasta is a California stratovolcano that rises more than 14,000 feet, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

About an hour into the hikers' descent from the summit, the group called the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office dispatch for directions after losing the route, before eventually wandering off the…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/