AI-mediated risks and real-life challenges in mushroom foraging

The rise of AI-based mushroom identification applications impacts foraging despite significant risks from relying solely on AI-generated advice. Popular AI-based mushroom identification tools were tested using 100+ photos of nearly 60 species, taken in real-world conditions. Even the best-performing tool failed in almost 15% of cases, with others performing worse. None of tested applications consistently provided a single, correct answer, demonstrating they cannot be trusted for definitive life-or-death identification decisions.