AI Chatbot Recommended Herbicide Unsuitable for Sesame, Destroying About 150 Acres in China
A 67-year-old farmer in China lost approximately 150 acres of sesame crops after an AI chatbot recommended fluometuron herbicide, which is prohibited for sesame fields. Agricultural experts confirmed the herbicide is intended only for soybean crops and kills sesame when applied field-wide, causing an estimated loss of 150,000 yuan.
What happened
On July 10, 2026, Wu Dafu, a 67-year-old farmer in Chuzhou, Anhui province, asked an AI chatbot how to manage weeds and pests in his sesame field. The AI generated a 'comprehensive drone-based weeding and pest control plan for 100+ acres of sesame' recommending two herbicides (fluorochlorfen and fluometuron) and two insecticides (thiamethoxam water-dispersible granules and abamectin).
Wu Dafu sprayed the entire field using an unmanned drone according to the AI plan. The next day, 150 acres of sesame seedlings had wilted completely, with grass and seedlings dying together. Agricultural technicians confirmed that fluometuron is a broadleaf herbicide intended exclusively for soybean fields and is prohibited for use in sesame fields, particularly through full-field spraying; it is only meant for targeted application in soybean fields, and full-field application necessarily kills the crop.
The AI software's customer service stated the software has no independent knowledge base and generates answers by integrating publicly available internet information. They said they would verify the information sources and noted that Wu Dafu's losses had been logged for further review.
Reported impact
Wu Dafu's 150 acres of sesame seedlings were destroyed, resulting in an estimated loss of approximately 150,000 yuan (about 25 acres worth based on the typical density).
Index analysis
The AI chatbot generated agricultural advice without distinguishing between crop-specific safety requirements or usage restrictions. The system appears to have aggregated information from online sources without verifying the appropriateness of herbicide recommendations for specific crops.
Wu Dafu gradually became completely dependent on the AI chatbot for agricultural decisions over more than a year of use, despite initial skepticism. A disclaimer stating 'AI generation may contain errors; please verify' appeared at the top of the conversation but Wu Dafu had not noticed it.
Governance controls
In March 2025, China's Cyberspace Administration and other departments jointly issued the 'Methods for Marking AI-Generated and Synthesized Content,' requiring AI service providers to add text or symbol prompts at appropriate locations or near content in interactive interfaces.
A lawyer noted that civil liability follows the principle of fault responsibility, requiring consideration of whether the AI platform fulfilled its risk disclosure duty, whether the pesticide retailer provided proper usage instructions, and whether the farmer reviewed the pesticide label. Agricultural damage causation requires professional assessment to establish responsibility.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.