AI and conservation: Striking the right balance

Alongside tackling global warming, conservation and protecting the diversity of our natural world is a global priority.  AI plays a huge role, from analysing satellite imagery of reforestation efforts to identifying wildlife from acoustic scanners or trip cameras.


However, there’s an issue in these biomes where many people live - these efforts are taking place without their permission. Privacy, data protection and individual rights can potentially be sidelined in the quest for a tech-driven solution to a global problem.


Joining us today is Joycelyn Longdon. She’s a PhD Student in the Department of Computer Science at Cambridge University. Her research is around looking at the technical, AI-based solutions to environmental protection, and respect local populations, whilst trying to protect our natural habitats.


She also runs Climate in Colour, an organisation dedicated to making conversations around climate more diverse and accessible.


This is Technology Now, a weekly show from Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Every week we look at a story that's been making headlines, take a look at the technology behind it, and explain why it matters to organisations and what we can learn from it.


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About this week's Guest, Joycelyn Longdon: https://www.cst.cam.ac.uk/people/jl2182
Climate in Colour: https://climateincolour.com/
2021: Longdon, J. 2020. “Environmental Data Justice. (https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S2542-5196%2820%2930254-0) ” The Lancet 4 (November). DOI:10.1016/S2542-5196(20)30254-0.
Technology Untangled Season 4 Episode 1 - Unconscious Bias: Is AI dividing us? https://link.chtbl.com/TechnologyUntangled_401
Global competition for a limited pool of technology workers is heating up: https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/fandd/issues/2019/03/global-competition-for-technology-workers-costa