Associated Incidents
Farmer's Misguided Trust in AI Leads to Devastating Losses of 150 Mu of Sesame Seeds Multiple Parties Respond
A farmer in Chuzhou, Anhui Province, surnamed Wu, sought help from Litchi News. He explained that he had sprayed pesticides based on AI-generated weeding and pest control methods, only to have all his 150 mu (approximately 10 hectares) of sesame seedlings wither overnight. Mr. Wu told reporters that he had encountered the AI software over a year ago. "I asked the AI about everything, such as when to use pesticides and when to fertilize, and the answers it gave at first were quite comprehensive," he said. Initially, he was skeptical of the AI's methods, but over time, he gradually began to completely trust it.
A reporter reviewed Mr. Wu's conversation with the AI software. On July 10th, Mr. Wu first inquired about weed control in his rice paddies, then about weed and pest control methods for his sesame fields. The AI generated a preliminary plan, and Mr. Wu immediately asked if he wanted drone spraying. The AI ultimately generated a "complete aerial weed and pest control plan for 100 acres of sesame": recommending the herbicides "high-efficiency flupyridine" and "flufenoxam," and the insecticides "thiamethoxam water-dispersible granules" and "emamectin benzoate." Mr. Wu said, "The seedlings were dead the day after spraying; the weeds and seedlings died together, but the seedlings died even faster." Later, Mr. Wu questioned the AI about the reason, and the AI told him that "flufenoxam" in the formula was the culprit that killed the sesame.
The reporter learned from a nearby pesticide dealer that the herbicide "flufenoxam" is a broadleaf herbicide specifically for soybean fields and should not be sprayed in sesame fields. Agricultural technicians stated, "Other crops can also use 'flufenazate,' but it needs to be applied selectively, not all over the field. Applying it to the entire field will definitely kill the crops."
150 mu (approximately 10 hectares) of sesame seedlings withered overnight, leaving Mr. Wu heartbroken. He believes the AI failed to provide a clear warning during the generation process, resulting in irreparable damage. "Even if the AI had just reminded me after generating the data, 'You need to be careful during the operation,' I wouldn't have ended up like this." However, at the top of the AI's dialogue log, a small note reads: "AI generation may be incorrect; please verify." Mr. Wu stated that he had never noticed this warning before.
The reporter relayed Mr. Wu's experience to the AI software's backend. Customer service responded, "The AI software doesn't have its own knowledge base; it integrates publicly available information online. For example, regarding the sesame seedlings you mentioned, it searches for keywords and then selects which data to reference. We need to pinpoint which platform and which piece of information caused the problem." Regarding Mr. Wu's losses, the staff stated they would register and report it. As of press time, the reporter had not received a response. In fact, to promote the healthy development of artificial intelligence and standardize the labeling of AI-generated and synthesized content, in March 2025, the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and other departments jointly issued the "Measures for Labeling AI-Generated and Synthesized Content." Article 4 stipulates that AI service providers must add text prompts or general symbol prompts at appropriate positions at the beginning, end, or middle of the text, or add prominent prompts around the text in interactive scenarios.
Professor Gao Shanbing, Vice Dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at Nanjing Normal University, believes that AI-generated content is mainly based on data and does not distinguish whether the information is common sense. However, farmers are precisely lacking this ability to discern. To improve users' judgment, especially the elderly in rural areas, AI platforms should provide more reminders, particularly regarding important matters such as health, medication, and finances.
Zhang Xin, a partner at Beijing Dacheng (Nanjing) Law Firm, stated that civil liability applies the principle of fault liability. Whether the AI platform has fulfilled its risk warning obligation, whether the pesticide operator has explained the scope of pesticide use as required, and whether the farmer has read and verified the pesticide instructions are all factors that need to be considered when determining liability. Meanwhile, the cause of crop damage requires professional identification.
With the widespread adoption of AI technology, many elderly people have suffered losses due to its reliance on AI. Some seniors consult AI about legal and financial matters, treating the generated template information as standard answers; others use AI to seek medical advice, blindly trusting unprofessional information and delaying proper medical care… The elderly, who habitually consult AI for everything, often lack the awareness to verify information. It is hoped that when AI platforms introduce AI tools to users, especially elderly users, they will guide them to cultivate a sense of cautious trust. While it's acceptable to ask AI questions, it's crucial that all content provided by AI is only for reference.