It’s important to account for environmental impact when developing AI strategies— including the impact such models can have on preserving our natural world.

With proper considerations, artificial intelligence can help us mitigate the effects of climate change and other environmental threats. AI models can analyze masses of data at high speeds, finding insights or connections that human researchers may have missed in a fraction of the time. 

One up-and-coming use for AI technologies is to support conservation efforts. For example, the World Wildlife Fund has implemented AI strategies into the analysis of images from its monitoring and measurement systems. This allows for not only more rapid analysis, but also for the potential to pick up on smaller details or connections that human eyes may have missed. 

WRI’s Land & Carbon Lab is also making strides in the use of AI to combat deforestation. In partnership with tech giant Meta, the organization has developed a global map of tree canopy heights to such a precise scale that it can identify individual trees. Such models allow for remote monitoring to a new degree and serve as the foundation for even more in-depth applications to counter environmental threats.

AI can also assist in predictive modeling, helping us prepare for potential challenges and allocate resources accordingly. For example, the World Economic Forum reports on how AI can be used for predictive modeling and climate forecasting, allowing us to better allocate our human and digital resources in a time-sensitive environment.

From conservation to deforestation to predictive modeling, AI can signal a step forward in countering the fast-moving issues threatening our natural environment, especially when there are so many moving parts.