Opinion: Why AI is our best defense against invasive species

By Pam Marrone

New technologies help scientists detect and contain invasive species before they cause irreversible ecosystem damage

Every Californian has experienced the impact of invasive species. Statewide, entire forests are harmed by bark beetles and other invaders. Oak borers are spreading and killing native oaks, boring into healthy trees, damaging them until they collapse. Quagga mussels and golden mussels, fingernail-sized invaders infesting California waterways, clog the water pumps and pipes responsible for distributing water to millions of people and vast stretches of farmland. Downy brome, an invasive weed, infiltrates grassland and increases wildfire risk in the Great Basin region.

The destruction from invasive species is quickly creeping forward, but luckily, we have one critical tool in our arsenal: artificial intelligence. AI-assisted technologies are playing a crucial role in helping scientists detect and contain invasive species before they cause irreversible ecosystem damage. Not only does this benefit California’s natural ecological balance — upon which local industries and economies depend — it helps the broader American economy.