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How can AI help save wildlife?
That photo of a zebra from your safari may be more helpful than you think.
Believe it or not, no two zebras have the same stripe pattern. And even though each zebra has its own unique look, picking out one from within a dazzle - not a herd - with just the naked eye is next to impossible, making it difficult for wildlife conservationists to identify and ultimately protect zebras. That’s why they’re turning to artificial intelligence and machine learning for help.
But how exactly can AI help keep wildlife safe and what does it teach us about the power of data analysis?
In the not-so-distant past, in order for scientists to learn more about different kinds of animals, they would have to set up cumbersome field cameras in remote locations or identify individual animals to tag them, resulting in accuracy and efficiency issues. That’s why some conservationists are turning to AI tools. But in order for these wildlife AI programs to work properly, they need data - specifically photographs.
It’s estimated that a total of 1.2 trillion digital photos are taken annually worldwide, which shakes out to around 160 pictures for every single person on earth.
Using photos to power these AI algorithms, scientists are able to determine key features and markers for individual zebras and cross-reference them against other photos in just milliseconds. With more photos in a data set, the algorithm will be better able to identify the species - sometimes down to the individual animal. Conservationists are then able to analyze migration patterns and better protect their environment.
The capabilities of AI are dazzling, but they don’t just help spot zebras. AI can be used to help businesses connect with their customers. While conservationists utilize photos to identify zebras. Mailchimp, on the other hand, uses data sets to analyze customer behavior.
Fueled by billions of emails, Mailchimp’s data can help businesses make their emails more engaging with content optimizing and predictive segmentation tools, helping them reach the right customer, who might be just down the block or out on safari.
Tools like Mailchimp help businesses get more opens, clicks and sales. Learn more.