Mushroom ID Apps Often Inaccurate, Reliance Can Be Deadly
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AI-powered apps and books are often inaccurate at identifying wild mushrooms, sometimes labeling toxic mushrooms as safe to eat. Relying solely on them can be deadly.
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Properly identifying mushrooms requires extensive local knowledge and examination of multiple parts of the mushroom in its natural habitat. Photos are not enough.
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There are over 5,000 mushroom species in North America, 75 of which are deadly, 36 suspected poisonous, and 40 that are only safe after cooking. Over 700 mushroom poisoning cases from 1999-2016 resulted in major harm or death.
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Studies show mushroom ID apps only correctly identify mushrooms around 50% of the time on average, sometimes labeling toxic mushrooms as edible.
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Overreliance on imperfect AI for mushroom identification and other individual expertise tasks can lead to harm. Human judgment is still necessary.