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AI not recommended in the mountains

Tuesday, 22 September 2026 06:35

Swiss mountain guides are sounding the alarm over hikers using ChatGPT and similar tools to plan trips into the Alps.

Two women got lost in the Pyrenees this summer after following an AI-generated route, and other walkers had to be rescued at 4,000 metres in the middle of the night.

Guides say the tools give generic answers that ignore weather, season and glacier conditions — a winter Chamonix-to-Zermatt route bears little resemblance to the summer version, using different passes and different refuges.

Pierre Mathey of the Swiss Mountain Guides Association warns that online everything looks easy, but nature is another matter — he urges walkers to consult qualified local guides before setting out.

 

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