Chinese farmer loses 10 hectares of sesame crop to incorrect AI advice

A 67-year-old farmer in Chuzhou, Anhui province, China, has lost nearly 10 hectares (approximately 150 mu) of his sesame crop after following incorrect pesticide advice from an AI chatbot.

After using the AI tool for about a year to assist with farming schedules and fertilizers, the farmer, identified as Mr. Wu, requested a solution for simultaneous weed and pest control. The chatbot recommended a chemical mixture that included herbicides such as flufenacet. Because sesame is a broadleaf plant, the herbicide—intended for weeds—was toxic to the crop itself.

Following the recommendation without consulting an agricultural expert or testing on a small area, Wu applied the mixture across his entire field. The plants began to wither and die almost immediately, with the full extent of the damage visible the following day. When questioned about the failure, the AI reportedly identified one of the recommended insecticides as the likely cause of the damage.