Amna
Feb 11, 2024
Can AI Preserve Memories of Endangered Species?
The Earth's species are the instruments of life, and each is essential in the grand scheme of things.
But the melody is changing, which is part of society's evolution. The loss of their habitats, changing climate, and human interference have threatened and endangered many species.
When such animals become extinct, they take their individual experiences, ways of living, and the information they possess.
Nevertheless, a new conductor on the stage—artificial Intelligence (AI)—might become a ray of light in fighting against the loss of species and their histories living on through the ages.
A Silent Symphony: Biodiversity Loss and the Tales That Remain Untold
The present-day loss of biodiversity is one of the greatest tragedies happening at an accelerating pace. Every species wiped out is not just a number on a list but a song that will never be sung again.
These animals have slowly grown and developed over millions of years, and they have been able to form societies, ways of communicating with each other, and ways of getting food.
Every lost species means that the whole world loses the information the species holds about its environment, its position in the food cycle, and the fragile equilibrium of life. Information about such animals is scarce; thus, so much is still unknown about them.
The Limitations of Human Memory: Nature's Imperfect Record
While practical, conventional methods of documenting information about endangered species through scientific papers, documentaries, and field notes could be better.
Such resources are usually dispersed and complex to find and use and can also easily get mislaid or destroyed.
Also, although reliable, human memory is only partially trustworthy as it is inclined to change over time. Thus, relying exclusively on one's memory to gather information on animal behavior may lead to the loss of much detail and, therefore, a somewhat inaccurate picture of the subject.
Enter the Conductor: AI and the Beginning of the New Age in Memory Preservation
AI introduces a new method of providing a future for the memories of endangered species. Here's how this technology can bridge the gap:
Automated Data Analysis
AI algorithms can process large data sets gathered by direct observation in the field, camera trapping, and bioacoustic recordings. They can help to identify trends in the behaviors, interactions, and the kind of environment they prefer, which is valuable information about these animals.
The Art of Storage of Audio and Visual Information.
It helps to keep the collection of audio records of animal sounds and high-definition videos of animals. These AV archives can preserve the character of animal behavior and be useful for future generations and their study of these animals.
Predictive Modeling
AI can analyze data about past and current environmental conditions to determine the potential for the future of endangered species habitats. This information can help define conservation plans and determine the areas that require protection.
The Symphony of AI and Human Collaboration: A Strong Voice for the Environment
The strength of AI is not in eliminating human knowledge but in supporting it. Here's how humans and AI can work together:
Data Collection and Annotation
Thus, specialists – researchers and conservationists – still need to provide the data through videos, audio recordings, and field notes for AI analysis.
AI-Assisted Species Identification
They can be trained to recognize species from photo and video samples, saving the researchers time and enabling them to analyze the collected material more deeply.
Storytelling and Public Engagement
AI can be used to design stories and appealing displays to inform people of the threatened species and encourage them to act toward their protection.
Confinity: A Way of Protecting the Tales of Our Fellow Members of the Planet
At Confinity, we aim to enable people and companies to keep their memories.
Our secure site allows you to upload images and videos of these species, audio files of the species' calls, and field notes from the researchers.
This data can then be fed to AI to generate more content and thus build a digital library to ensure these little gems are not forgotten.
Conclusion
It is not the fight of the past but the fight for the species' future. Thus, by employing AI technology and promoting interactive relationships between people and machines, information about endangered species and their experiences can be saved and transmitted in the future.
It is high time to join efforts to guarantee that the symphony of life will sound on, with its harmonious score and multifaceted, for future generations.