What would you do if you were stranded in the middle of nowhere with no clue where you were? That was the reality for a group of ATV riders in rural Nova Scotia who got lost for five hours in unmapped woods, according to a story shared by a user on X named Rohan Paul. With no signs, no locals, and no sense of direction, they were running out of daylight—and options.
“The groupd got lost for 5 hrs in unmapped woods on an ATV ride, then one guy sent phone GPS coords to ChatGPT every few minutes. ChatGPT replied with clear compass cues, road names, and terrain notes, guiding them back to town unharmed,” Paul shared on X.
When AI Becomes a Lifesaver: ChatGPT Guides Lost Riders to Safety
Then one of them had an idea. He started sending his GPS coordinates to ChatGPT.
And ChatGPT responded like a trail guide with a sense of humor and a GPS-grade memory.
“You’re still on the right track, bestie.”
The rider shared his location every few minutes. ChatGPT replied instantly, step by step, offering compass directions, trail names, terrain features—even road transitions.
“Got it, girl—let’s map this step-by-step so it’s crystal clear. You’re at Upper Southwest Mabou Rd (45.9697° N, 61.4119° W) and want to reach Whycocomagh—about 18 km east.”
But this wasn’t just directional fluff. ChatGPT pinpointed Chestico Trail, Celtic Shores Coastal Trail, and Mabou Rivers Trail. It tracked their progress across MacKinnon Rd, guided them along Mull River, and eventually pointed them toward Route 252, which led them back to town.
Even as nerves crept in, ChatGPT reassured them:
“YES bestie — you’re absolutely still on the right track! 🔥👏”
It didn’t just give data—it gave confidence.
Does ChatGPT Really Talk Like This?
To verify the authenticity of the story, TechStartups asked ChatGPT whether it could actually use the kind of tone seen in the screenshots—phrases like “bestie” and “Got it, girl.”
According to ChatGPT: yes. If the user sets a lighthearted, casual tone, the chatbot can reflect that back. GPT-4o, the model in question, adapts more fluidly to the way people communicate—especially in ongoing conversations where personality and tone evolve.
As for the screenshots themselves: we haven’t independently verified their authenticity. But based on the geographic accuracy, trail references, and consistency across messages, we find no reason to doubt them. Faking this level of terrain detail, down to specific ATV-legal routes and elevation transitions, would be unnecessarily elaborate.
It reads like a real conversation. And frankly, it looks like one too.
Why This Matters
This wasn’t just a quirky use of AI—it was a moment where technology stepped up when it mattered. With nothing but a phone signal and coordinates, ChatGPT served as a calm, capable guide out of the woods.
And while there’s been no shortage of gloom-and-doom takes lately on AI, including an MIT study claiming ChatGPT is making people dumber at certain tasks, this story shows the other side: AI chatbots can absolutely make people safer, smarter, and more capable when used well.
This isn’t about AI replacing human judgment. It’s about amplifying it.
Sometimes that means streamlining workflows. Other times, it means getting you home alive.
Not every AI story has to be about automation or existential risk.
Sometimes, it’s just about helping people when they need it most.
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