Chaos as AI sends tourists to attraction that doesn't actually exist

.unexplained-mysteries.com/news ^ | 02/07/2026 | T.K. Randall

[BenLurkin]

According to reports, an Australian tourism firm found itself embroiled in controversy earlier this year when it put out an article about an idyllic destination known as the Weldborough Hot Springs.

...

Keen to visit the hot springs but with no idea how to actually get there, tourists headed to the general area and then asked local businesses for directions. The trouble was, the hot springs didn't actually exist.

It turned out that the company had been using an AI to write some of its articles and the system had 'hallucinated' the entire thing.

The firm's owner explained that they had turned to AI to help compete with larger companies by providing new articles on a regular basis.

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TOPICS: Travel
KEYWORDS: chaos; tasmania

[dfwgator]

LOL, this was bound to happen.

People are sheep.

[Ge0ffrey]

Anything AI should be clearly marked “AI”.

[PeterPrinciple]

Garbage in, garbage out.

That law isn’t going to change.

[House Atreides]

“ People are sheep.”
********************

I’m thinking about having AI write an article on these Sheep-People.

[HYPOCRACY]

This is how the wealthy keep their spots exclusive. Hot springs? Nah AI made it up. Trailer park is 10 miles down the road.

[PeterPrinciple]

People are sheep.

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and now you give me an excuse to talk about sheep, sheep dogs, and wolves. I print this out, underline the things that connect to me and give to every young potential warrior I meet. Go and do likewise. It is not about guns.

https://learntocarry.com/files/On-Sheep-Wolves-And-Sheepdogs.pdf

The sheep generally do not like the sheepdog. He looks a
lot like the wolf. He has fangs and the capacity for
violence. The difference, though, is that the sheepdog
must not, cannot and will not ever harm the sheep. Any
sheepdog who intentionally harms the lowliest little lamb
will be punished and removed. The world cannot work
any other way, at least not in a representative democracy
or a republic such as ours

[BipolarBob]

I asked the train conductor if the train stopped at Willoughby.

[Libloather]

If anyone knocks on my door, there will be a fee.

[lee martell]

“Sheeple who need Sheeple”

[ComputerGuy]

They’d better not do that with a Dairy Queen.

[Major Matt Mason]

It turned out that the company had been using an AI to write some of its articles and the system had 'hallucinated' the entire thing.

AI has advanced to the point that we now need to drug test the AI bots.

[drwoof]

Willoughby is indeed sounding better and better these days, isn’t it?

[rlmorel]

Good gosh! I have come to believe you need to know the answer before you ask any AI entity.

[rlmorel]

I had to ask Grok to write a paragraph about "sheeple" who will follow any crowd:

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Sheeple is a term often used to describe individuals who uncritically follow the crowd, adopting popular opinions, trends, behaviors, or beliefs simply because “everyone else is doing it.” Lacking independent thought or willingness to question authority and mainstream narratives, sheeple tend to move in lockstep with the herd—whether that means chasing viral fads, parroting talking points from media or influencers, complying with unpopular policies out of social pressure, or joining collective outrage without examining the facts. The label carries a sharp edge of contempt, implying not just conformity but a voluntary surrender of personal agency and critical reasoning, turning people into passive, directionless followers who can be easily led anywhere the dominant current flows—be it toward consumerism, political tribalism, moral panics, or even self-destructive ideologies. Critics argue this phenomenon becomes especially dangerous in times of propaganda, groupthink, or institutional capture, when the flock can be steered over cliffs while still convinced it is marching toward safety.

Hahahaha...not bad! (But I already knew what "sheeple" were...:)

[rlmorel]

Or a McDonalds soft-serve ice cream machine!

[dfwgator]

AI should be a tool for validation, and not discovery.

[bigbob]

As AI always says “AI can be wrong”.

So can my GPS for that matter, or CBS News, or the Weather Channel. That’s why we have a cortex.

[AndyJackson]

Au contraire, AI can be a tool for discovery, but validation requires checking what you come up with against reality, like, well where are these hot springs on a map, how do I get there, what are the opening times and entrance fees.

[rlmorel]

I agree. Regretfully, I don’t think society in general is going to give these things that level of thought. In the wrong hands, it could be a pipeline for indoctrination.

Heck. Even in the right hands, it might.