Japanese prefecture apologises for AI-generated tourist attractions and phantom delicacies

The AI-generated tourism content, featuring non-existent attractions and dishes in Fukuoka, highlights the need for human oversight in AI use

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Fukuoka old town along the Naka river. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 3:17pm, 22 Nov 2024Updated: 4:08pm, 22 Nov 2024

A Japanese prefecture has apologised after a company that used artificial intelligence to generate content for its tourism website created listings for tourist destinations that do not exist and highlighted local culinary delights that no one has heard of.

The Fukuoka local government launched the Fukuoka Connection Support website on November 1 to promote the prefecture’s attractions, history, and cultural appeal. However, within a few days, the Mainichi newspaper reported that local residents began complaining about misleading content.

An attraction named Uminaka Happiness World does not exist, while the Kashii Kaen Sylvania Garden closed in 2021. The site also claimed that the “Koga sashimi set” was a local delicacy every visitor should try, even though no one has ever heard of it.

The site recommended must-see sites in Fukuoka, including the Koinoura Coast, Kagoshima Bay, and Fukutsu Great Nature Park—even though none are in the prefecture.

This Week in Asia has contacted the city department overseeing the website launch for comment.

An official told the Mainichi that it had not been informed that the webpage operator would be using generative AI for the tourist information, adding: “Accuracy of the content and verifications are fundamental requirements.”