Description: A purportedly AI-generated travel article on the Tasmania Tours website reportedly invented "Weldborough Hot Springs" and promoted them as a real attraction. Tourists allegedly traveled to the remote town of Weldborough in search of the site, while local businesses reportedly received repeated calls and visits from confused travelers asking how to find the nonexistent springs.
Editor Notes: Timeline note: The purported incident occurred sometime in July 2025. The incident ID takes the earliest known reporting date of 01/21/2026 as the incident date; the ID was created on 03/14/2026.
Entities
View all entitiesAlleged: Generative AI developers and Image generator developers developed an AI system deployed by Tasmania Tours , Australian Tours and Cruises and Unknown third-party marketing provider(s), which harmed Kristy Probert , Weldborough Hotel , Tourists seeking Weldborough Hot Springs , Weldborough businesses and Epistemic integrity.
Alleged implicated AI systems: Unknown generative AI technology , AI-generated travel content system(s) , Tasmania Tours website and Image generation technology
Incident Stats
Risk Subdomain
A further 23 subdomains create an accessible and understandable classification of hazards and harms associated with AI
3.1. False or misleading information
Risk Domain
The Domain Taxonomy of AI Risks classifies risks into seven AI risk domains: (1) Discrimination & toxicity, (2) Privacy & security, (3) Misinformation, (4) Malicious actors & misuse, (5) Human-computer interaction, (6) Socioeconomic & environmental harms, and (7) AI system safety, failures & limitations.
- Misinformation
Entity
Which, if any, entity is presented as the main cause of the risk
AI
Timing
The stage in the AI lifecycle at which the risk is presented as occurring
Post-deployment
Intent
Whether the risk is presented as occurring as an expected or unexpected outcome from pursuing a goal
Unintentional
Incident Reports
Reports Timeline
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According to the Tasmania Tours website, Weldborough Hot Springs offers a "peaceful escape" and an "authentic connection to nature".
The "secluded forest retreat" even features in the "7 Best Hot Springs Tasmania Experiences for 2026".
The …
Variants
A "variant" is an AI incident similar to a known case—it has the same causes, harms, and AI system. Instead of listing it separately, we group it under the first reported incident. Unlike other incidents, variants do not need to have been reported outside the AIID. Learn more from the research paper.
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