Auburn student missing in Japan after argument over AI, search continues

Japanese police, search dogs, helicopters and local volunteers were still combing the mountains outside Kyoto for James “Weston” Higginbotham, an Auburn University student missing since May 29. His mother said Friday that the search had reached Day 7, as his family stayed in Japan alongside authorities trying to trace his movements after he was last seen in Kyoto.

Higginbotham, 20, majors in biosystems engineering at Auburn, a program the university says is focused on sustainable and resilient solutions for food, water, energy, environment and health. Nancy Higginbotham said her son walked away from his parents after an argument over ChatGPT and artificial intelligence, and said Weston opposed the world’s increasing reliance on AI. Family members said he was last known to have entered the mountainous forest area near Yamashina, Kyoto, where there are water sources but limited food.

Kyoto police said Higginbotham had been missing since leaving his hotel on May 29. Heavy rains from a typhoon delayed the search until Wednesday, according to Kyoto Prefectural Police Headquarters, slowing efforts in rugged terrain where visibility and access can shift quickly. The family said search teams have faced steep slopes and dense forest as they look for any sign of the Auburn student.

His parents, Keith and Nancy Higginbotham, and his brother, Grayton, remained in Japan to work with police and volunteers. Nancy Higginbotham urged hikers, trail runners and other outdoor enthusiasts to help search the area, reflecting how the effort has moved beyond a standard police operation and into a broader community push across Kyoto’s backcountry trails.

A GoFundMe fundraiser was created to support the search as the family continues to press for answers. Loved ones said they fear Weston may be “emotionally distressed,” a possibility that has shaped both the urgency of the search and the concern for his safety in a forested area where weather, distance and isolation can quickly become life-threatening.