These hikers relied on tech and AI. They had to be rescued.

Three young men with limited climbing experience set out earlier this week to summit California’s Mt. Shasta (14,179 feet). What began as an eight-hour ascent turned into a search-and-rescue operation after they relied heavily on AI for planning and guidance, according to a Facebook account posted by the U.S. Forest Service’s Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The hikers reportedly said, “We relied too much on AI rather than our own critical thinking.” Lead climbing ranger Nick Meyers told Mashable the AI was not the sole cause; instead, their plan had “holes,” compounding navigation and decision failures into an emergency. He said the phone battery died on the descent as they used AllTrails.