The pandemic has had a toll on us all in many ways. Today we wish to be outdoors, wish to be with nature, enjoy the beauty that mother nature has blessed us with. We are all desperate to set out on vacations and breath freely. 

We want to climb mountains, roam barefoot on beaches, snorkel underwater and witness soul-soothing sights. Underwater actives in the past decades have been gaining exponential interest from youngsters. All those who have witnessed the beautiful corals say that the memories of those moments got etched in their hearts.

Coral reefs are also called the rainforests of the sea and are the most diverse ecosystems in the world. There are almost 800 species of corals. The surprising aspect is that they cover just 0.1% of the ocean; still, they are of high relevance to us humans. They are vital to marine life for being a habitat to 25% of global marine life, provide a livelihood to many. 

However, with increasing human intervention through trade, tourism, overfishing, climate change, acidification, and unsustainable coastal development, the coral reefs are degrading at alarming rates.

The traditional efforts towards data collection for underwater monitoring required divers to capture images and videos, which was cumbersome and had various constraints. Owing to these issues, there was a need for technology to pitch in.

AI today is looking like a saviour that could bring about a change in improving the deteriorating state of our oceans. To set the context, these technologies are now playing an important role in monitoring and analysis of the state of coral reefs. There is a need for real-time data for scientists and biologists to study various aspects of different species' lives, behaviour, population, and more. This would help decision-making and directs efforts towards the conservation of ocean life.

AI intervention in the area can speed up and improve the way coral reefs are monitored so far with reduced costs and more accurate results. Various approaches such as video analytics, fixed underwater cameras, autonomous underwater vehicles, remotely operated vehicles, and even divers collect underwater data. These efforts require convolutional neural networks to be optimized for better data processing.

In May 2020, Accenture, Intel, and non-profit organization Sulubaaï Environmental Foundation set up an AI-powered solution named CORail. This solution intends to monitor, characterize, and analyze coral reef resiliency around Pangatalan Island in the Philippines, has already collected some 40,000 reef images. The project uses infrared cameras, which would enable nighttime video capturing to create a complete picture of the coral ecosystem. CORail would help study the migration rate of tropical fish to colder waters and monitor intrusion in protected or restricted underwater areas.

ML algorithms are used to study critical aspects such as identifying vulnerable species, predicting their extinction probabilities, and assessing global data around climate, fishing, and water temperature. This would lead to a better understanding of large-scale impacts caused by various factors. The crucial efforts towards protecting coral reefs include mapping, monitoring, analyzing, and taking restorative steps. AI can assist in the quick identification of lethal and sub-lethal coral bleaching and help in restoration projects.

Coral reefs are extremely important as they offer livelihood to more than 1 billion people and generate 2.7 trillion US Dollars from fisheries, coastal protection, tourism, and recreation each year worldwide. It is amazing to receive such promising results from the upcoming technological advancements.

Researchers from Arizona State University Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science in October 2020 generated a global coral reef extent map capable of predicting the location of shallow coral reefs with nearly 90% accuracy. The idea is to combine laser-guided imaging spectroscopy and AI. With this approach, researchers and scientists get unprecedented views of coral reefs deep under the ocean surface. It provides maps that Cleary show where live corals are present and where there is a degradation in the reef.

There are various views around the usage of AI, with people even doubting if it is here for good or bad. However, with companies trying to make the most out of AI in finding solutions to the more significant problems such as pollution, safety, sustainability, education, and the environment, the future of AI is optimistic and is set to win people's faith. Though there is a long way for it, we are definitely looking forward to thanking AI for a happier world inside oceans.

Photo by Francesco Ungaro from Pexels