AllTrails launches AI route-making tool, worrying search-and-rescue members
www.nationalobserver.com
One of the world’s most popular hiking apps has a new generative AI feature that can be asked to "shorten my route" or "make this more scenic." But the people in charge of searching for lost hikers say the feature is going to exacerbate an issue they’ve been warning about for years.

AllTrails has a new generative AI feature that can be asked to ‘shorten my route’ or ‘make this more scenic.’

But the people in charge of searching for lost hikers say the feature is going to exacerbate an issue they’ve been warning about for years: hiking apps providing false information."

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  • defunct_punk@lemmy.worldEnglish
    6·
    6 days ago

    Shame to see. As someone whose backyard growing up ended literally 20 yards from the AT, I’ve loved AllTrails for years. I worry that this is going to get a lot of people in trouble. Chatbots living on servers should not be telling people to go off trail.

    • everydayhiker@lemmy.worldOP
      2·
      6 days ago

      Yeah, I’ve already been lukewarm on how they go about their trail data, as stressed by park rangers and this article, but overall that app has been a huge benefit for me. To me, this is likely the one step too far. One year to ween myself off of it before the subscription lapses.