TLDR; AI can help scientists address climate change issues as it can provide information quicker and more efficiently, and allow for easier data collection and data analysis. Examples include studying weather patterns and identifying risk factors to which scientists can use to begin early mitigation efforts.

INTRODUCTION

Over the past two years, there has been a massive uproar in Artificial Intelligence, or AI, especially once ChatGPT was released to the public (November 30th, 2022). Since then, AI has been used to help students, doctors, scientists, or simply curious people who wish to find out more information about a topic in a quick amount of time. 

When I think of AI, I typically think of the big platforms such as ChatGPT or DALL E, however, these platforms are actually a branch of AI, called Generative AI programs. Generative AI programs use coding to create new content, such as images, sound, text, and even songs. There is also Predictive AI, which is a type of AI that studies past patterns of historical data and trends, and then uses this knowledge of patterns to then predict future events - such as climate change, which I will be covering in this blog (Mastrola, 2023a).

HOW WILL AI HELP ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE?

Climate change is an extremely complex issue as there are many variables that can affect how it happens, so it is not easy to predict exactly what will happen in the future as studying past data takes immense time and effort. It is also a challenge to study as it requires many different pieces of technology to do so, like ships and satellites. A great example of how AI would help this issue is looking at how new robotic technologies could monitor the melting ice in the Arctic. Currently, we use ships in the Arctic during the Fall, Summer, and Spring seasons, however, during the winter time, it is too difficult to manage the ships there due to ice conditions. So, there is a massive gap in data collection during this time, making it difficult to accurately predict and understand what will be happening in the near future. However, AI robots could change this, as they would be able to stay there for all four seasons, allowing for data collection to remain constant and provide more information that can help scientists understand the weather patterns and ice melting patterns (Mastrola, 2023b). Understanding weather patterns and making more informed predictions is important because it allows scientists to see what changes are occurring at a faster pace, which allows for scientists to make efforts to help the climate faster - allowing for less damage to be done. 

AI can also help fight climate change by forecasting solar patterns in certain areas, and this would allow for scientists to understand the best places to obtain solar energy, thus leading to a decrease in the usage of nonrenewable energy. Along with this, AI can predict demand patterns of certain goods, and this allows for the chance to plan transportation services in a more efficient manner. Finally, AI can help the environment by helping to protect engaged animals as they can implement systems to monitor these environments every day with pictures. This also allows for the chance to catch poachers, or others taking advantage of the area (Minevich, 2022).

CONCLUSION

AI can be a stressful topic for some people who struggle with the uncertainty of what jobs it will replace and what industries it will run. However, it is important to remember the positives that can come from these technologies, and keep in mind that AI may help keep us alive in the future. Climate change has been a big issue for decades, and having the chance to monitor it more closely and figure out patterns easier will most likely allow for better mitigation efforts to be made, ultimately leading to a healthier environment for everyone!

References

Mastrola, M. (2023a, March 7). Generative AI vs Predictive AI: All You Need to Know. Www.letsdive.io. https://www.letsdive.io/blog/generative-ai-vs-predictive-ai-all-you-need-to-know#:~:text=Predictive%20AI%20and%20Generative%20AI

Mastrola, M. (2023b, March 7). How AI Can Help Combat Climate Change. The Hub. https://hub.jhu.edu/2023/03/07/artificial-intelligence-combat-climate-change/

Minevich, M. (2022, July 8). How To Fight Climate Change Using AI. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/markminevich/2022/07/08/how-to-fight-climate-change-using-ai/?sh=42719b992a83