An AI-generated article on an Australian tour company's website has sent tourists searching for hot springs that do not exist in the remote Tasmanian town of Weldborough. The now-deleted post, published by Tasmania Tours in July, promoted 'Weldborough Hot Springs' as a peaceful escape with therapeutic mineral pools, but no such attraction exists.
Scott Hennessy, owner of Australian Tours and Cruises, which operates Tasmania Tours, told ABC News that the article was created by a third-party contractor and published by mistake. 'Our AI has messed up completely,' he said, adding that the company did not intend to mislead customers.
Local businesses, including the Weldborough Hotel, began receiving inquiries from tourists in September. Hotel owner Kristy Probert said people started 'turning up in droves' despite the area's river being 'freezing cold' and unsuitable for hot springs. Probert joked that she would buy beers for anyone who found the springs, but no one has returned.
The incident highlights the risks of AI 'hallucination', where generative AI produces factually incorrect information. Hennessy said the resulting damage to their reputation and online hate has been 'absolutely soul-destroying'.
