Three hikers rescued from Mount Shasta after planning climb with Google Gemini
A planned eight-hour ascent became a multiday ordeal after the group reached the summit at 7pm and tried to descend in darkness.
Three men were rescued from California’s Mount Shasta after using Google’s Gemini chatbot to plan an expedition that turned into a multiday ordeal, according to a report cited by TechCrunch.
The hikers set out at 3am for an ascent expected to take eight hours. The Siskiyou County sheriff’s office said Gemini advised them to bring substantially less food and water than the group required.
Although hikers are advised to turn around if they have not reached the summit by noon, the group reached the top at 7pm. They then attempted to descend in darkness and called the sheriff’s office for directions.
The hikers spent the night in Mud Creek Canyon before being rescued the following morning by Forest Service rangers and volunteers.
The available account does not establish that Gemini caused the rescue. The sheriff’s office advised hikers to contact the local US Forest Service Mount Shasta ranger station before travelling and said they should not rely solely on AI for trip planning.
