4 Jan 2024

AI used to help pest eradication

From Morning Report, 8:48 am on 4 January 2024

Conservationists are hoping a newly-redesigned app will encourage New Zealanders to stay vigilant this summer and report any sign of weeds, animals and diseases.

Developed with funding from the BioHeritage National Science Challenge, the Find-A-Pest app, launched in 2018, now uses artificial intelligence to identify pests and where they're found.

Data gathered by users is then sent to experts who confirm the identifications.

Dr Steve Pawson is part of the BioHeritage challenge programme and spoke to Charlotte Cook.