Artificial intelligence may aid conservation | CPT PPP Coverage

DEAR READERS: The recent clamorous concern over the possibility of artificial intelligence leading to our extinction reflects our innate fear of the revolutionary discoveries and creations we humans have wrought — beginning with fire! In contrast to this fear, some are seeking ways AI can serve the planet and all its creatures.

For example, AI can help in our conservation efforts and perhaps help prevent animal extinctions. According to a paper in Trends in Ecology and Evolution, AI is being used to link and analyze disparate datasets, creating an internet of animals (IoA) that scientists can use to detect disease outbreaks and manage endangered species. The IoA is already being used to predict migratory bird patterns via “lights-out” initiatives and to predict the location of whales so shipping vessels don’t hit them. Future uses could include monitoring diseases, tracking weather and ensuring animals endangered by climate change find suitable habitat, says co-author Roland Kays of North Carolina State University. (Full story: news.ncsu.edu, May 30)