12/10/2025
11:00 - 12:00
Virtual Channel 3
, Online only
Session with interpretation
Why attend
Artificial intelligence (AI) promises productivity and new capabilities, but also carries risks, biases, and wider implications for conservation and society. Grounded in a peer-reviewed analysis, this episode offers a balanced perspective with practical recommendations for ethical, effective AI adoption in conservation. Source: Sandbrook (2024), Conservation Letters: https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13076
Session Description
AI is transforming daily life – and conservation is no exception. From identifying species in millions of camera-trap images to distilling vast amounts of evidence, AI promises speed, efficiency, and even entirely new possibilities. Yet behind the hype lie serious questions. Who controls the technology, and whose knowledge shapes the datasets? What are the hidden costs in energy, water, and labour? Could the same tools that support conservation also be turned against it? In this “Voices for Nature” episode, Prof Chris Sandbrook draws on his peer-reviewed analysis (Conservation Letters, 2024) to unravel both the promise and the peril. The conversation moves from opportunities within conservation to AI’s wider societal impacts - in agriculture, health, and labour markets – that may reshape the drivers of biodiversity loss. A timely discussion for anyone seeking to navigate AI with clear eyes and a critical purpose.Speaker
Beyond the hype: implications of AI for conservation