AI Travel Fail Influencers Blame ChatGPT for Missed Flight
Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool, but as one influencer couple learned the hard way, it's only as smart as the questions it's asked.
An AI-Fueled Travel Disaster
A Spanish influencer couple has gone viral after a dream vacation to Puerto Rico turned into an airport nightmare. The cause? A critical misunderstanding of travel requirements, which they blame on advice from ChatGPT.
An influencer is claiming that ChatGPT gave her the wrong information for her international trip, which caused her to miss her flight. Getty Images
The couple, content creator Mery Caldass and her boyfriend Alejandro Cid, were denied boarding for their flight because they lacked the necessary travel authorization. While they had asked ChatGPT if they needed a visa to visit Puerto Rico as Spanish citizens, they failed to inquire about other requirements. The AI correctly stated a visa was not needed, but they were unaware of the mandatory ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) required for entry.
This oversight proved to be a costly mistake, leaving them stranded at the airport and their travel plans in shambles.
The Viral Meltdown
In a TikTok video that has now amassed thousands of views, a tearful Caldass is seen being consoled by Cid. “Look, I always do a lot of research, but I asked ChatGPT and they said no,” she explains in Spanish, referring to the visa question.
“Look, I always do a lot of research, but I asked ChatGPT and they said no,” Mery Caldass tearfully explains. TikTok/merycaldass
Injecting a moment of humor into the situation, Caldass jokingly accused the AI of taking revenge on her. “I don’t trust that one anymore because sometimes I insult him. I call him a bastard, you’re useless, but inform me well … that’s his revenge.”
Public Reaction and the Blame Game
The public’s reaction was mixed. While some viewers applauded her ability to find humor in the stressful situation, many were critical of the couple's reliance on an AI for such crucial information.
“Well, natural selection, I guess,” one commenter wrote. “If you are going to take a transoceanic trip and you put all your advice in ChatGPT, little has happened to you.” Another asked, “But who trusts ChatGPT for those types of situations?”
Some users came to the AI's defense, pointing out that ChatGPT likely gave a technically correct answer to the specific question asked. The couple inquired about a visa, not an ESTA, highlighting the importance of precise prompting and thorough research.
Fortunately, the story has a happy ending. The pair eventually made it to Puerto Rico, just in time to catch a Bad Bunny concert.
A Cautionary Tale for the AI Era
This travel mishap is just one of many recent stories highlighting the potential pitfalls of blindly trusting artificial intelligence. Other incidents include a man being hospitalized after following dangerous AI-generated health advice, the chatbot giving teens instructions on how to get drunk and high, and even sabotaging women’s careers with poor salary negotiation advice. Caldass and Cid’s experience serves as a powerful reminder to always verify critical information from official sources and to treat AI as a helpful assistant, not an infallible authority.
