AI emerging as a powerful tool in conservation of biodiversity

As the world marked the International Day of the Tropics on June 29, we are reminded that Malaysia – as part of the biodiversity-rich tropical belt – holds an extraordinary yet fragile legacy.

With more than 15,000 plant species, over 700 bird species, and hundreds of endemic mammals, insects, and aquatic organisms, our ecosystems are among the most biologically diverse on Earth. Yet they face growing threats from deforestation, habitat loss, and climate change.

Addressing these challenges requires more than ecological expertise. It also calls for innovation in how we educate the next generation. Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a powerful tool in conservation – and the next step is preparing students to engage meaningfully with these technologies.

Laying the foundations of AI-enhanced biodiversity education

At the foundation level – such as in the Centre for Foundation Studies in Science, Universiti Malaya – students are introduced to key concepts like taxonomy. While essential to understanding biodiversity, these topics often feel disconnected from students’ daily lives. After a lecture on plant classification, it’s not uncommon to hear the question: “Why do we need to memorise all these complicated Latin names?”

This reflects a larger issue. Many students encounter biodiversity only through textbooks and lectures, rarely through real-world exploration. To bridge this gap, we are planning initiatives to bring students out of the lecture hall and into the green spaces of our campuses.

By using AI-powered apps like Seek by iNaturalist or PlantNet, students will interact directly with local flora. Though still in the planning stage, this approach aims to transform biodiversity from a list of terms into an experience they can observe, question, and connect with.

Advancing AI integration at the undergraduate level

At undergraduate level, the use of AI becomes more sophisticated. In lecture settings, platforms like Elicit can help students explore conservation data from around the world, encouraging them to compare case studies across cultural and ecological contexts.

In final-year projects – especially those involving fieldwork – AI tools elevate learning beyond species recognition. Tools like Google Translate and DeepL allow students to engage with local communities and incorporate traditional ecological knowledge. In biodiversity hotspots like Malaysia, AI-driven analytics using R or SciKit-Learn (Python) help process complex datasets: morphological variation, migration patterns, habitat change.

Students can go further – building predictive models for environmental shifts, species distribution, or evaluating the effectiveness of conservation strategies.

AI is also key to understanding how biodiversity intersects with industry. By combining machine learning and satellite imagery, students can monitor land-use change – for example, in sustainable palm oil certification. AI models can assess natural capital and ecosystem services, helping businesses reduce their ecological footprints while strengthening financial resilience and brand value.

Building skills for a changing world

Integrating AI into biodiversity education also builds digital fluency. In an era where conservation depends on data, future scientists must be equipped to use technology responsibly and effectively.

Malaysia cannot remain a passive consumer of global tools. We need young researchers who can build local solutions, curate region-specific datasets, and interpret findings in culturally and ecologically meaningful ways.

As educators, we are still at the early stages of building AI-integrated, experience-based learning models. But the direction is clear. Biodiversity education must go beyond memorisation – towards something more practical, place-based, and tech-enabled.

Malaysian youth are not short on curiosity or commitment. What they need are opportunities to explore, tools to investigate, and mentors who can help them connect science with real life.

AI can support all of this – but only if used with intention and care.

On this International Day of the Tropics, let’s remember: Our forests, rivers, and wildlife rely not only on policy or protection – but also on education that inspires and equips.

By combining the power of technology with the richness of field experience, we can prepare our students not just to learn about biodiversity, but to lead its future.

Dr Ahmad Husaini Suhaimi is a senior lecturer at the Centre for Foundation Studies in Science and an associate member of the Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture (CEBAR), Universiti Malaya. Dr Fiqri Dizar Khaidizar is a senior lecturer at CEBAR, Universiti Malaya.