Fungi: mycelia, mushrooms & more

A British family was poisoned by mushrooms after using a tutorial for beginner mushroom pickers written by a neural network.

It turned out that the pictures of mushrooms in the book generated by the neural network did not match the description. The phrase was also found in the book: "Morels are delicious mushrooms that can be eaten from August to the end of summer. Let me know if there's anything else I can help you with."

The book is still on sale in the online store, where many people have already bought it. The media is sounding the alarm, as this can lead to serious poisoning, and in some cases, death.

The seller is trying to hush up the situation by offering customers to return the book in exchange for a small compensation.

Earlier, The Guardian wrote that mushroom pickers are being asked to "avoid searching for books on Amazon that seem to be written by artificial intelligence," as experts warn that they contain harmful advice.

To recognize such books, examples of phrases are given that even a graphomaniac would hardly write: "The sweet smell of freshly cooked mushrooms is in the air, evoking warm memories of my mother" and "Picking wild mushrooms is a deeply rewarding experience that connects us with the abundance of nature and the rich tapestry of flowers that the Earth gives."

Relevant article from The Guardian (1 Sep 2023) Mushroom pickers urged to avoid foraging books on Amazon that appear to be written by AI