Update: James Higginbotham's mother announced he had been found dead in Japan on Saturday. Read earlier developments below.

The mom of the American college student missing in Japan told CBS News the two had an argument over her use of ChatGPT on their vacation before he disappeared.

James "Weston" Higginbotham, a 20-year-old Auburn University engineering student, has been missing since May 29.

Nancy Higginbotham called the use of ChatGPT "a sore subject" between her and her son.

"I was using a little bit too much ChatGPT. Japan is a country that I've had a hard time navigating," she said. "Weston is very anti-AI because you know he's into sustainability engineering and AI uses a lot of water and is depleting a lot of water resources."

Weston had decided to stay back while his parents and brother visited a nearby temple in Kyoto after lunch on May 29. That evening his parents saw his location move on a family tracking app and texted him, but didn't receive an answer.

He was last seen leaving the Yamashina train station in Kyoto. His parents believe Weston, an avid hiker, was going to a nearby trail.

"My fear is that he, that he got hurt and that he's stuck," Nancy Higginbotham said. "My fear is that he doesn't have enough food because there is plenty of water, and that he's lost. Those mountains, that forest goes for a very long time and ... it's extremely dense."

Nancy Higginbotham said police are suspending their search.

"They said they've concluded their search of the area that they committed to and they conducted a very thorough search over three days to include 100 police officers, K9 dogs, the helicopters, and they did not find him," she said.

The family is hiring a professional search and rescue crew in Japan, which is expected to cost over $100,000. They said they are not leaving Japan without their son.

"We have complete confidence that we are going to find him," Weston's dad, Keith Higginbotham, said.


A family photo of James "Weston" Higginbotham of Alabama, who went missing near Kyoto, Japan, on May 29, 2026. Nancy Higginbotham/Facebook

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