A farmer destroys 10 hectares of crops after following AI advice on weed and pest control.
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A 67-year-old farmer in China’s Chuzhou region lost more than 10 hectares of sesame crops after following a chatbot’s weed- and pest-control advice, highlighting the risks of overreliance on AI in agriculture. The farmer, who had used the tool for over a year and gradually came to trust its recommendations, sprayed a chemical mixture the AI suggested without consulting a technician or verifying the guidance. The weeds died, but so did the sesame plants; one product should have been applied only to the weeds, a detail the AI omitted. The chatbot displayed a disclaimer that AI-generated text may contain errors and should be checked. The case underscores how AI “hallucinations” can carry real financial costs, and it points to the need for human verification—even a quick second search—before acting on AI advice.
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Named in this story
AI chatbot, 67-year-old farmer, Chuzhou