How Can Artificial Intelligence Save the Oceans?
Modern Tools for Our Deepest Problems
Here are a few examples of problems affecting our oceans, and how artificial intelligence (AI) can help to address them.
Marine Pollution
Marine pollution is a growing concern for ocean health. According to the United Nations Environment Program, the oceans are polluted with 8 million tons of plastic every year. Marine mammals, seabirds, and turtles ingest plastic debris, leading to negative effects on the natural environment and the food chains that rely on them.
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How Can AI Help?
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AI algorithms can be used to predict and detect the spread of pollutants in oceans, including microplastics and other pollutants, and develop policies and strategies to prevent or mitigate this spread. In addition, AI can be used to optimize the effectiveness of clean-up efforts. By analyzing data on the locations and sources of pollutants and their potential harm to the marine ecosystem, AI can provide predictions for where and how to target clean-up efforts in order to be most efficient and effective.
Overfishing
Overfishing can reduce the populations of aquatic species to dangerously low levels, or even extinction. This can have devastating effects on the balance of ecosystems and marine environment health. Additionally, overfishing often leads to food scarcity and detrimental economic impacts.
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How Can AI Help?
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AI can be used to address the problem of overfishing by analyzing data on fishing activities and using algorithms to predict and monitor changes in fish populations and fishing patterns. This can help to provide more accurate estimates of the health of certain species and the effects of overfishing, which can then be used to implement more effective conservation and management measures. AI can also be used to optimize the efficiency and accuracy of enforcement by maximizing data analysis to monitor and stop illegal practices in real-time.
Ocean Warming
Ocean warming and its resultant sea level rise pose serious threats to coastal communities, infrastructure, and ecosystems. Sea-level rise can cause coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion, flooding, storm surges, and loss of land. These impacts can affect food security, water supply, livelihoods, health, and culture.
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How Can AI Help?
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AI can be used to optimize the energy systems and industries that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, helping to reduce these harmful emissions and the negative effects they have on the climate and ocean health. AI algorithms can also be used to analyze temperature and precipitation data to provide accurate predictions and models that can help to better understand how climate change will affect oceans and oceans ecosystems in the future.
There are many other problems that affect marine health, such as ocean acidification, oil spills, coral bleaching, introduction of invasive species and industrial waste.
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These issues, too, can be addressed by new technologies. AI relies on data analysis, and oceanographers have vast amounts of data that can be analyzed. These include water temperature, salinity and pH levels, the presence of pollutants and micro-plastics, the movement of animals and currents, the location and type of ecosystems, and more.
All of this data can be used to train algorithms to inform strategies to clean up and protect oceans from further harm.