Chinese Farmer Loses 25-Acre Crop Following AI Advice

A 67-year-old farmer named Wu lost his entire 25-acre sesame crop in Chuzhou, China, after following pest and weed control advice generated by an AI chatbot. Having trusted the tool for up to a year, Wu applied a chemical mixture that included flusulfasulfaether, a herbicide intended for broadleaf weeds in soybean fields. Because sesame is also a broadleaf plant, the chemical killed both the weeds and the seedlings within 24 hours.

The crop loss is estimated at approximately $21,000. When Wu sought an explanation for the failure, the AI identified flusulfasulfaether as the likely cause and suggested the chemical should have been applied only to affected areas rather than the entire field. A customer service representative for the AI company stated that the tool pulls information from public online sources rather than a vetted database.

While Wu claimed the AI provided no warnings, the application's chat interface included a disclaimer stating that AI generation may be incorrect and requires verification. Wu had acted on the recommendation without consulting agricultural technicians, highlighting the risks of relying on unverified AI-generated scientific advice for high-stakes agricultural tasks.