AI could help win ‘race against extinction’ of vital plants, say botanists

Artificial intelligence and digitization represent a significant advancement in the effort to identify and preserve plant species facing extinction, according to a report from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. New technologies are allowing scientists to monitor shifts in flowering times, which have changed by several weeks globally. AI is also accelerating the identification of new plant specimens and is proving instrumental in extracting crucial genetic data from historical samples, such as 180-year-old fungi specimens, which the report terms a "genomic goldmine." The digitization and online accessibility of millions of plant specimens, previously confined to archives, are providing novel insights, particularly for research conducted in the global south. This technological integration is seen as a critical tool in the ongoing "race against extinction" for vital plant life.