Unlocking AI’s transformative potential to protect and restore nature

From the air we breathe to the food we eat, a healthy planet matters to every single one of us.

For over 10 years, Google and World Resources Institute have worked together to protect vital ecosystems. Through initiatives like Global Forest Watch — a free, near-real-time monitoring system for the world’s forests — we’ve helped governments, companies and communities apply advanced technologies to protect and restore nature around the world.

But we also know the global nature crisis requires us to do more, faster. The World Wildlife Fund estimates that wildlife populations have declined by 73% since 1970, and the World Economic Forum ranks biodiversity loss as one of the greatest risks to global stability over the next ten years. We must accelerate action by overcoming a number of systemic barriers that hamper progress, from a lack of timely data to the high cost of monitoring remote ecosystems.

AI offers a powerful new tool to break through these old roadblocks, and today we’re excited to release a new paper that offers a roadmap for harnessing AI responsibly to support thriving ecosystems and communities.

Three ways AI is already unlocking solutions

AI’s unique superpower is in processing vast amounts of information and identifying patterns invisible to the human eye. These capabilities hold the potential to make nature protection and restoration more accessible, affordable and effective for everyone.

At the same time, AI must be managed and developed responsibly. We do this in line with Google's AI principles, to mitigate risks, including increasing resource demands, and maximize positive outcomes for nature.

So how does AI for nature work in the real world? Through dozens of interviews with experts and analysis of case studies from around the globe, we found that AI is already helping to break down three of the biggest barriers in conservation:

1. Getting a real-time view of our planet: It’s hard to protect what you can’t see. AI helps us monitor our planet’s health at a scale that was previously unimaginable. Platforms like Global Fishing Watch use AI to scan billions of satellite signals, enable sustainable fishing for generations, and map all human activity at sea.
2. Putting nature knowledge in everyone's hands: For too long, critical environmental data has been stuck in labs and spreadsheets. AI is changing that. With the snap of a photo, apps like iNaturalist use AI to help identify plants and animals, turning anyone with a smartphone into a community scientist.
3. Connecting the dots on a complex planet: Nature is a puzzle with millions of interconnected pieces. AI is helping us see the bigger picture. It can now combine satellite images, audio recordings, and field notes all at once to help scientists understand entire ecosystems and determine where conservation efforts are needed most.

Three recommendations to accelerate nature protection with AI

While AI is already demonstrating exciting impact, its potential can be unlocked even further.

Our report offers a strategy to create positive feedback loops between AI development and nature conservation, grounded in 3 core recommendations:

1. Accelerate Data Collection: Significantly expand the collection of primary biodiversity data, and build accessible data infrastructure to ensure this information is a global public good. From images of animals for species tracking, to sound recordings for habitat monitoring, more, and more accessible data is key to impact.
2. Create Accessible Models: Prioritize investment in open, transparent AI systems that can rapidly fill key gaps in species and ecosystem monitoring and conservation. Open-access platforms like Wildlife Insights help establish trust and enable collaboration.
3. Capacity & Knowledge Sharing: Foster a two-way exchange between AI developers and on-the-ground practitioners, indigenous, and local communities to ensure the tools we build are sustainable, ethical, and effective

The road ahead

AI provides powerful new tools, and we’re excited about their potential. But it's the partnership between technology and human passion that will unlock truly transformational change.

By putting AI tools in the hands of communities on the front lines of conservation, we can create a future where both people and nature thrive.

To learn more, read the full report and explore our AI-powered tool for querying.