Artificial intelligence at the service of biodiversity
On June 10, 2020, within the framework of the Knowledge and Culture Conference 16.0 organized by the Faculty of Science and Technology and its School of Biology, more than 100 students and professionals connected to listen and dialogue with Ben Weinstein, who presented the online talk entitled “Artificial Intelligence for Biodiversity Conservation”.
Dr. Weinstein is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Florida, where he studies the mechanisms that generate, maintain, and conserve biodiversity. In his talk, he spoke about the applications of computer vision technologies and artificial intelligence in collecting biodiversity data, and how their use can increase the accuracy, scale and effectiveness of conservation actions.
Remote sensors such as satellites, drones, video and audio cameras are becoming more accessible to researchers, and the exhibitor showed how this technology is being used in various types of research, such as the structure of forests by counting trees and even classifying them according to their photosynthetic capacity and determine the carbon storage of an area and know the type of flowers that are preferred by hummingbirds.
As in all areas of science, also in ecology, technology and artificial intelligence allow data to be collected and processed at scales that are impossible for humans.
In concluding Weinstein mentioned that “there is a global narrative that poses a competition between computers and humans, and that is the wrong way of looking at the challenge, what must be considered is how we can collaborate with computers to reach scales that humans we can't get there ”.
This was a meeting space for those who study biodiversity from which shared actions will surely emerge to understand and implement better strategies to conserve life on the planet.
