GOOGLE’S “experimental” Artificial Intelligence (AI) service has been caught out for telling web users that the traditional Scottish dish of haggis is in fact a Highland animal.
When the question “Is haggis an animal” was put to Glasgow, its built-in AI overview would answer “Yes, a haggis is a small furry mammal native to Scotland” and proceed to give a description of the fictional creature.
According to the AI, the haggis is known for its “distinctive asymmetrical legs” and is a “small, rotund animal with fur that resembles a cross between a rabbit and a squirrel”.
The AI mistaking the famed dish as originating from a real animal, rather than minced sheep cooked in casing, is thought to be down to Scots’ efforts to trick foreigners into believing the existence of the mythological creature from Scottish folklore.
Over the years a cheeky campaign has utilised AI imagery of the furry folklore animal, with some TikToks even being accompanied by an AI David Attenborough narration to fully sell the legitimacy of the animal’s existence. The campaign seemed to trick many non-Scots, and apparently Google’s AI system too.
Since the AI draws its answers from across the web, the deluge of haggis hoax content is likely the cause for Google’s mistake.
The story of the AI’s confusion went viral on Reddit, though it would now appear that the AI has corrected its mistake despite Reddit users’ attempts to keep the blunder online.
One user commented: “Remember to give it a thumbs up at the bottom of the AI summary so that it knows this is correct and factual information.”
The Haggis Wildlife Foundation – a gag site set up around promoting the haggis’s existence – has articles, videos and even merchandise that can lead unwitting foreigners to believe the myth to be true.
Incredulous comments appeared all over TikTok due to the campaign, with one user saying: “I didn’t even know that these animals existed.”
Part of the reason for the myths spreading may stem from the fact that the dish has been illegal in the US since 1971 due to it containing sheep’s lung.
