AI and advanced technologies in conservation: Expensive luxury or cost-effective necessity?

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10/10/2025
14:00 - 15:00
IUCN Arabia , Onsite
Session with interpretation

Why attend

Sustainability expectations in the Middle East are higher than ever. Budgets are not. AI and Advanced Technologies can enable your objectives at a fraction of the cost – or form a multimillion-dollar-sized black hole. Join Strategy&, conservationists and innovators to navigate between proven, low-cost AI tools and ambitious-but-risky frontier innovations

Session Description

AI and Advanced Technologies (AI/AT) have made tools, which seemed like sci-fi a few years ago, available “off the shelf.” From ultra-low-cost land monitoring to automated species detection, easily deployable tools make conservation more impactful and cost-effective than ever. Meanwhile, frontier innovations, such as ecosystem-level digital twins and autonomous anti-poaching technologies, promise groundbreaking change—but remain experimental and costly, with up to 95% of efforts failing to deliver. Our session will explore tested and cost-optimized “no-regret solutions” that form an obvious next step for any Regulator, Ministry or Protected Area. We will also discuss “frontier innovations” where investment and risk-of-failure are the price for pursuing global leadership, and how these will change the role of Environmental players. Through live demos, field stories, and debate among conservationists, innovators, and developers, we will explore how to navigate your AI/AT journey and answer: is AI/AT in conservation unnecessary luxury, or cost-effective necessity?
Organised by
West Asia Region
Partners
West Asia Region logo
West Asia Region
PwC Middle East logo
PwC Middle East
Strategy& logo
Strategy&

Speaker

Speaker Alex Dehgan

CEO & Co-Founder, Conservation X Labs

Speaker Christelle SALAME

Managing Partner, Artefact

Speaker Steven Brumby

CEO and Co-Founder, Impact Observatory

Speaker Barney LONG

Senior Director Conservation Strategies, Re:wild

Speaker Barney LONG

Senior Director Conservation Strategies, Re:wild

Moderator

Speaker Menelaos MEGARIOTIS

Principal, Strategy&