In the remote town of Mabou, Canada, a group of ATV riders got lost in the forest and, after five hours of struggle, successfully returned to safety using real-time navigation from ChatGPT. This incident has amazed people with the practical application of artificial intelligence in outdoor exploration, demonstrating the potential of AI navigation.
The riders originally planned to start from Upper Southwest Mabou Rd and ride 18 kilometers to Whycocomagh, but unfortunately, they took an unmarked path. At that time, their mobile signal was weak, and Google Maps and other navigation apps were also ineffective. Just when they were about to give up, one of the riders came up with the idea of trying to use ChatGPT for navigation.
Image source note: The image is AI-generated, and the image licensing service provider is Midjourney
They sent GPS coordinates to ChatGPT every 5 to 10 minutes and asked for guidance. Unexpectedly, ChatGPT provided clear and easy-to-understand steps that successfully led them out of the fog. The specific steps included: starting from their current location, driving along the dirt road, joining the Chisteco Trail, continuing along the Mabou River, and finally finding Route 252 leading to Whycocomagh.
Throughout the process, ChatGPT not only provided directions but also combined terrain information and road names, making it easy for the lost riders to understand and follow the guidance. Unlike traditional navigation tools, ChatGPT could adjust its recommendations based on real-time coordinates, ensuring that the riders always stayed on the correct path.
This incident sparked heated discussions online, with many people calling ChatGPT a "life-saving tool." Although some questioned why they didn't just check satellite maps, in reality, ChatGPT's real-time personalized guidance proved especially important in complex terrain.
At the same time, studies show that language models like ChatGPT have great potential in outdoor navigation. For example, the PathGPT project from Shanghai Jiao Tong University combines historical route data with users' natural language requests to achieve more flexible navigation. This means that in the future, users will only need to ask questions in natural language, and AI will be able to provide accurate navigation solutions, further enhancing the experience of smart travel.
The rapid development of AI is changing the way we explore, and ChatGPT's performance in this lost event marks a new milestone in the application of artificial intelligence in real life.
