The quick transition from ‘Googling’ every question that pops into our head to asking chatbots to plan our lives for us already leading to some disastrous consequences. This one could have been fatal.
As probably everyone’s grandparents used to say, ‘God gave you a brain, use it’. Little would they have imagined living in a world when even life-and-death decisions would be outsourced to the ‘wisdom’ of a machine.
The along came the ability to ask a phone the answers to all of your most pressing questions.
Looking for a rare quote, or a recipe that can made with the ingredients on hand, or influences that gave rise to a particular school of thought? Not a bad tool to have available. But planning a trip up a mountain?
Yikes. We won’t need to worry about Skynet ‘offing’ us. We might just do it to ourselves.
Case in point: Mount Shasta California.
Three guys — college students — decided to go for a hike up Mount Shasta. They consulted a chatbot about what sorts of things they might need, and were given tips about how much food and water, and what kind of food they should pack. They figured it would be an 8 hour trip. They didn’t bring much of what they needed, and they proceeded at an alarmingly slow pace up the mountain, debating turning back at two separate waypoints. Even the choice of where where they decided to make camp for the night put them in danger.
They COULD have done a little asking around. Or used ‘old-school’ tools like Google to get some super-basic information that could have saved them this hassle, embarrassment and yes, a brush with death. In under a minute I was able to pull up this helpful site from an adventure guide company with the following information:
Can a beginner climb Mt. Shasta?
Absolutely! While Mount Shasta may seem daunting with 7,000 feet of vertical gain over snowy and icy slopes, it is accessible to beginners with the right preparation, gear, and especially those who choose to hire a certified guide. There are various routes suited for different skill levels, and with proper training, anyone with a basic level of fitness and determination can ascend this majestic mountain. Alpenglow Expeditions most often climbs the Avalanche Gulch or the West Face, though we also offer a five day mountaineering school that usually takes place on the Whitney Glacier.
[…]
How long does it take to climb Shasta?
The duration of a climb on Mount Shasta varies depending on several factors, including the chosen route, weather conditions, and the climber’s pace. Generally, a climb can take anywhere from one to three days. Most climbers opt for a two-day ascent, camping overnight at camps like Helen Lake or Horse Camp to rest, acclimate, and break up the journey. Alpenglow offers custom private trips for those seeking in-a-day ascents (or other custom itineraries), as well as open enrollment 2-, 3-, and 5-day climbing and skiing expeditions.
That’s without even looking up whether there was an official site.
What happened to the climbers?
For one thing, AI promised them an 8-hour round trip. I say again, 8-hour ROUND trip. Sixteen hours after leaving, they reached the summit. Phone was dead and no longer helpful for navigation. Backup charger was not working properly. At least one guy had issues with a headlamp that wasn’t working. We now know they knew about the dot-org website for the mountain, but they didn’t consult it, relying on AI instead.
They had a decent tent, but pitched it in a dangerous location. One guy didn’t have a headlamp and wrenched his knee on the way down again. They wandered off the trail to a place with dangerously loose rock and no path down. The trip was a wreck. There was a hypothermia scare. Eventually, park rangers came up and, with no feasible place for a helicopter to land, walked their exhausted selves back to safety.
After some food, water, and a pep talk, all three walked down under their own power. Passing their campsite, rangers found the group’s tent pitched damagingly close to the headspring of Clear Creek, among scattered food wrappers and cookware. They reached Clear Creek Trailhead at 6:30 p.m, concluding the planned 8-hour trip after 39.5 hours.
Meyers attributed the incident to lapses of information and mentorship. The group said they knew about the robust Mt. Shasta information website, shastaavalanche.org, but didn’t use it to prepare. They also had suitable gear—a solid tent, headlamps, and snow travel equipment, as well as summit passes—but lacked other equipment that would have supported their plan, like a reliable charging system for their phone or a backup method of navigation..
“Our objective is always to give people information,” Meyers said. “We don’t try to influence what people do, but instead give them the knowledge and resources they need to make good decisions in the mountains.
“We know people are going to use AI to prepare themselves, and it’s happening more and more – especially with educated young people. But there’s no excuse for ignoring the information when it’s freely available. We just try to encourage everyone to talk to a real person first. We’re here to help.” — Backpacker
Is it increasingly common to just ask Chat what to do?
Sure.
But like grandpa used to say. God put a head on your shoulders for a reason.
You might as well put it to good use.
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