Asger Risom
The discovery happened during a winter trip that was never planned as a serious treasure hunt.
A simple question to a voice assistant set off an unlikely chain of events that ended with a rare gemstone in hand. What began as a family curiosity turned into a real-world example of how everyday AI tools can shape decisions far beyond a phone screen.
The discovery happened during a winter trip that was never planned as a serious treasure hunt.
A question at home
The idea took shape earlier in December, when a seven-year-old asked his parents if there was anywhere nearby they could mine for crystals. His mother turned to Apple’s Siri to look for options within driving distance.
The search pointed the family toward Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, one of the few places in the world where visitors are allowed to search for diamonds and keep what they find. The location was far, but close enough to justify a road trip.
Cold days in the field
The family arrived at the park on Dec. 29 and spent several hours searching in freezing conditions. After nearly four hours outdoors, they considered giving up, but returned the following day to try again.
On Dec. 30, while sifting through soil near the park’s public search area, James Ward, a Texas high school teacher, noticed a metallic-looking crystal that stood out from the rest of the material. He collected it with other finds and brought everything to the park’s Diamond Discovery Center.
A confirmed find
Park staff confirmed the stone was a 2.09-carat brown diamond. Assistant Park Superintendent Waymon Cox described it as roughly the size of a corn kernel, with the metallic luster typical of diamonds found at the site.
Cox explained that Crater of Diamonds stones formed deep in the Earth’s mantle and were pushed to the surface by ancient volcanic activity, often emerging chipped or fractured after enduring extreme geological forces.
Chance and technology
Ward later reflected on the experience by saying, “You can stumble upon a diamond in any place or time.” The family named the stone the “Ward Diamond” and has not yet decided whether to sell it.
According to Arkansas State Parks, the find was one of five diamonds registered at the park in December. More than 35,000 diamonds have been discovered there since the site became a state park in 1972.
Sources: Arkansas State Parks press release
