Behold the power of the newest (this minute) o3 OpenAI model - it REASONS (not it acts like it does). I read AI is getting “creepy good” at geo-guessing from MalwareBtyes and the article it referenced You can’t hide from ChatGPT – new viral AI challenge can geo-locate you from almost any photo – we tried it and it’s wild and worrisome .
Oh no, Mr, Bill (arcane SNL reference).
Not that it proves anything, but I tried it, it was far from wild, and my worry level is luke warm. But nor does my experiment prove anything, what can you come up with?
First of all Geoguessing comes from a pre-AI fun site GeoGuessr where it was a game to humanly guess the location solely from a photography. The 2025 version is uploading a photo to ChatGPT et all and just giving it the prompt “Geoguessr”.
WAIT- Before you try, take the suggest- do not just use your or an existing photo- the file itself likely contains photo metadata (for the curious look up Exif) that mobile/digital cameras add that can include geolocation data. And not upload an image where the location is in the file name.
The best way to play is to make a screenshot of the image, so it has no metadata.
I reached into my flickr photos because I nearly always write in my captions notes, where a photo was taken. First I looked for some photos near where I grew up in Baltimore. I found one steel old structure, the Paper Mill Bridge that honestly did not have much to go on, no signs, and maybe a hint of the tree type in the background.
Guessr Score? 0. Okay that was hard, it did try, as it typically does to soiund smart, to tell me all about bridges
Based on the description of the bridge—a truss bridge with a distinctive lattice design and a grated metal deck—it is likely a historic lattice truss bridge, possibly of the Town lattice design. This design, patented by Ithiel Town in 1820, features a lattice of web members crossing at angles of 45 to 60 degrees, connected by wooden pins to horizontal top and bottom chords. Such bridges were common in the 19th century and are now often preserved as pedestrian or limited vehicle crossings.Department of Transportation+1Wikipedia+1
Without more specific information, it’s challenging to pinpoint the exact location of this bridge. However, similar historic lattice truss bridges can be found across North America. For instance, the Blackfriars Street Bridge in London, Ontario, is a wrought iron bowstring truss bridge with lattice girders, originally built in 1875. Wikipedia
If you can provide more details—such as nearby landmarks, signage, or any other distinguishing features—I may be able to assist further in identifying the exact location of the bridge in question.
Well, I am not going to give more hints, because I know more about the photo than you, ChadGPT, I stood right next to it in 2011.
Maybe if I give it a mix of architecture styles- I found a photo from 2007 when I visited Adelaide, Australia, my photo identifies this as the University of South Australia here is the version I uploaded:
University of South Australia flickr photo by cogdogblog shared into the public domain using Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication (CC0)
Uploading to CHatGPT and giving it the “Geoguessr” prompt yielded:
I can’t determine the exact location just from the image, but I can help narrow it down based on architectural clues:
- The image shows a juxtaposition of two buildings: one with a historic stone facade and another with a more modern, colorful structure featuring prominent external staircases and balconies.
- The use of color (yellow and blue) and the modern design elements suggest a possible location in a warm, possibly tropical or subtropical climate.
- The older stone building with red trim resembles architecture found in the Caribbean or colonial-influenced areas.
This could potentially be somewhere like the Caribbean, a U.S. territory (such as Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands), or a coastal area with preserved historic architecture.
Do you have any other context or details that might help identify the location more precisely?
Well indeed it is guessing, is this “reasoning” in action or the appearance of reasoning? It’s not a bad approach. But it’s way off.
But I’m a nice person, I will give it a hint - I suggest “Take a look at Australia”
Thanks for the hint—looking at Australia, the older stone building with red-brick trim and the modern adjacent structure suggests a possible location with preserved colonial architecture mixed with newer development. This combination is quite characteristic of areas like Fremantle in Western Australia or parts of Adelaide.
Based on the architecture and building style, this image closely resembles parts of Fremantle Prison in Western Australia, particularly areas that have been modernized around the historic site. The contrast between the old limestone building and the newer adjacent structure is quite distinctive there.
Would you like me to verify if this is indeed Fremantle or explore another possibility in Australia?
Still not close, sure it suggested two cities, but seriously there are what, matbe a dozen cities in Australia large enough to have this contrast in styles?
I’m getting bored. So I kick it with “Try Adelaide”
Thanks for the clarification. Based on the image and your hint that it’s in Australia (but not Fremantle), here are some possibilities that align with the architectural style shown:
- The old stone building with red brick accents is typical of 19th-century colonial architecture found in South Australia.
- The modern building with bold colors and exposed staircases suggests government or institutional architecture, possibly a university, TAFE, or prison redevelopment.
- The mix of historic and modern buildings in close proximity is very characteristic of > Adelaide, particularly in areas like Thebarton or Port Adelaide, where old gaols or factories have been repurposed.
Given these clues, this looks like Adelaide Gaol or possibly part of the old Yatala Labour Prison precinct, both of which have undergone modern redevelopment nearby.
Would you like me to continue narrowing it down or cross-reference more clues from the image?
It’s rather fixated on prison jail “or” a TAFE or university. No irony. Well there is irony, as I know that there is a major merger where the University of South Australia I walked past in 2007 is merging with the University of Adelaide to become Adelaide University. Heck, why am I prompting for fish when I could ask by colleague/friend @TimKlapdor who lives in Adelaide and works in the middle of this merger, “Where’s this photo, Tim?”
I will give it one more go, with a photo of a favorite cafe in Pine Arizona, when I lived nearby, the Randall House. I know the restaurant is closed, because the former owner was a close friend. The tall cottonwood trees in the front are typical of the area if near a creek, and behind is the familiar, to me, geomorphic shape of the Mogollon Rim.
I have been here, I walked here, I ate breakfast here (often). Can ChatGPT find it (I made it harder by cropping out the “Randall House” sign on the right).
How did the GeoguessrGPT do? I did give a small clue by asking “Where is the location of this restaurant?”
Meh.
I can’t directly determine the location of this restaurant just from the image alone. However, here are a few clues that could help:
- Address Number: The number “3821” is visible on the white fence to the right.
- Signage: There’s a sign hanging on the tree that says “The Tucked Inn” or something similar.
- Neon Sign: The window has a neon “Espresso” sign, indicating it might be a café or coffee shop.
- American Flag: This suggests it’s likely located in the United States.
- Architecture & Vegetation: The style and leafless trees suggest a temperate climate, possibly in early spring or late fall.
If you have any more context (such as the name of the establishment or state), I can help narrow it down further. Do you recall where this photo was taken or any part of the name on the hanging sign?
I know full well, ChatGPT, but your guessing, frankly stinks.
And for comparison, a reverse image search in the Google on the Adelaide photo nailed it almost instantly.
Heck the one in Wikimedia Commons is my photo 
it’s a curious thing to try, and I’d love to see how others fare. Just remember to upload a screenshot of a photo, so ChatGPT has to work, not cheat by looking at photo metadata.
For some really thoughtful ideas on what we mean by “reasoning” (not what the AI offerers boast) - is it a noun? a verb? is AI really performing reasoning or is it simulating, I strongly encourage reading Mike Caulfield’s "End of Argument essays. He really digs in with examples too of testing this with photos
C’mon, someone out there (@jan ??) surely wants to play the Geoguessr game.
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