The Dangers of Using AI to Forage
Written By: Nicole Snook
Date: January 28th, 2026
Péter Kövesi via UnsplashHave you thought about picking up foraging? With the rise of food insecurities, foraging may seem like a good option to help supplement groceries. It can also be a great hobby for people who enjoy getting out in nature and engaging with the flora and fauna around them. Although there are pros, it’s good to weigh the cons. It is important to remember that foraging can be dangerous if you aren’t using the right sources to check your finds.
As of January 18th, 2026, 39 people have been hospitalized in California for consuming one of the most toxic mushrooms, known as the death cap. The death cap looks similar to other mushrooms that are safe to eat, such as the straw mushroom. Since many areas in California have been seeing more rain lately, there has been a rise in the growth of death caps, making them more likely to be on trails and other areas people frequently forage.
A recent tool people new to foraging have been turning to is AI. The use of AI for foraging can be extremely dangerous since it cannot accurately identify whether a mushroom will be safe to eat, especially since many toxic ones look almost identical to edible ones.
Screenshot via Article AuthorAfter scrolling on the Appstore for less than 5 seconds, I was able to find an app promoting its AI model that helps identify if wild mushrooms are safe to eat. AI works by looking through data and identifying patterns, meaning it cannot accurately identify if a mushroom is safe to consume because the patterns on toxic mushrooms and safe to consume mushrooms are almost identical, with very little discerning factors between them. It puts together what it knows from the information it is given and makes a prediction, not a factual answer. Relying on AI photo recognition can lead to a dangerous outcome.
AI is being used to create books on foraging, which can be found via Amazon. These books typically do not have a real author and have extremely repetitive information. They lack useful images for accurately identifying whether a plant is safe to forage. The information is also not specific to a region, which is another important aspect to consider when foraging. The vagueness and lack of accurate, useful information in these AI created books can be extremely dangerous to inexperienced foragers.
So how can a new forager learn to do this hobby safely?
Always consult an expert. It can be difficult to find a seasoned forager, but this is the first step to ensure that foraging is done safely. At times it can be difficult to know whether a plant is safe to consume, especially when they look similar. A person who knows what to look for is a great resource to have when learning to forage. Foragers can be found on social media and also by looking up foraging clubs in your area. This hobby is more popular than one may assume.
Never turn to AI, instead, use foraging books made by experts that are specific towards your region. These books can be found in book stores and online. When choosing a foraging book, make sure to look up the author to ensure they are a real person who is involved in the foraging community. YouTube and other social media platforms are also useful tools when researching and learning more about foraging. As long as the information comes from an expert, not AI, these resources can help you get more familiarized with foraging.
Once you officially begin your foraging journey, make sure to not to take too much. Leaving some of the plants behind is important to ensure they can continue to grow. If foragers took everything they found, there would eventually not be enough left behind, which harms the environment. Turning to more extensive guides found online can help you learn how to forage ethically.
Foraging can be a great hobby, but it is important to know what resources to use to keep yourself and nature safe. Turning to AI to help identify which plants are safe to forage and consume can have fatal consequences, for both yourself and the environment. Using AI as a foraging tool is extremely resource intensive which damages the environment and therefore is damaging the foraging hobby. To forage safely, turn to the foraging community. Foraging with local groups will help keep you and the environment safe while also keeping this hobby alive.
Written by: Nicole Snook
About the author description: Nicole Snook is an editorial intern and a student working towards her English degree with a minor in professional writing. She enjoys reading, horse back riding, and gaming.
Foraging, Artificial Intelligence, Nature
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