ChatMTB is designed to help riders find more trails to ride, among other things
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to become more integrated into our lives, it’s finally made the leap to mountain biking. ‘But, how?’ You ask. Well, website iBikeRide has become one of the first sites to implement a ChatGPT style AI model onto its website. Its purpose? “To help riders with their MTB needs and act as your friendly AI trail guide.” From what we can see, it looks like a similar concept to ChatGPT in that you ask the chatbot questions – albeit related to MTB in this case – and it provides answers to the best of its knowledge. The team at iBikeRide claim it will “help you find the trails you will love to ride.”
If you’d rather ask the real-world eperts, of course, we’ve got plenty of guides to whet your appetite, including some new trails for 2024.
Trail finding can now – in theory – be done via ChatMTB
ChatMTB need to know:
- Q&A style chatbot now available for MTB purposes on the iBikeRide website
- Aims to provide knowledge on trails, kit and equipment
What is ChatMTB and do we need it?
AI has become integrated into our society whether we like it or not, but in some cases it can be genuinely useful. Think about when you use a mapping app, the route is more often than not generated or at least influenced by AI to give you a better experience. Or even facial recognition to unlock your phone – it has its place, but do we need a MTB specific chatbot?
Website iBikeRide thinks we do, and the creators have come up with ChatMTB. It’s in its early phases but already gives reasonably sophisticated answers to trail related questions, and that’s what the creators hope it will become – utilising the information already on their site, they hope ChatMTB will become a tool that makes information finding easy – and will help users find trails to ride.
As with most AI chatbots, there is a disclaimer, however, that says “ChatMTB can make mistakes. Consider checking important information.” Currently it operates as an open forum Q&A, but eventually the plan may be to allow riders to register in order to keep chats tailored to their own conversations and questions.
Succinctness isn’t its strong point at the moment, if you delve through some of the answers it’s given already, but it looks like there are some solid foundations in place that could provide useful and quick answers to questions for those who don’t want to spend a little while searching.
Of course, it won’t replace the expertise of those who have ridden for years or locals who you come across on random bridleways, and whom share their knowledge over a flapjack. Nor the in depth trail mapping apps which provide bountiful insights into the local options, but it’s an interesting proposition nonetheless.
If you want to give it a go, head to the iBikeRide website.