AI agents did not discover a new Maya site, experts say

In short: A claim that AI agents found a previously unknown Maya site in Mexico fell apart after experts pointed out the site had already been documented.

What's going on

A Google researcher, Pietro Miotti, said he used a team of “AI agents” to look for signs of ancient Maya settlements in Mexico. AI agents are AI programs that can follow steps on their own, a bit like a group of interns each checking part of a large map.

Miotti said the agents scanned lidar data from NASA. Lidar is a way to map the ground using lasers, like shining a light to reveal the shape of the land, even in areas covered by trees. The agents flagged shapes that looked like human-made structures, including what Miotti described as a major village that did not seem to show up in existing records.

But archaeologists and other researchers pushed back online. According to The Verge, the “new” site had already been discovered and described in an academic journal last year. The episode has become an example of a growing frustration among specialists who say people without deep training are using powerful AI tools to announce discoveries without fully checking the history of the research.

What to watch

As AI tools make it easier for anyone to scan public data, experts will likely push for clearer rules about verification and credit. This includes checking existing publications and working with local authorities and communities, who are often already aware of sites in their area.

Source: The Verge AI