AI Can Help Conserve Bahrain’s Environment

By KOTA SRIRAJ

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has taken the information technology world by storm due to its wide ranging applications and ability to handle tasks with human like intelligence. AI relies on big data, machine learning and cloud super-computing to execute tasks with speed and accuracy.

This capability to handle large scale tasks with the help of complex technologies has enabled AI to be an asset for humans in resolving vexing problems. Off late the world has turned to AI to seek solutions to environmental problems that have been plaguing humanity.

The fact that human’s themselves are unable to solve the environmental issues makes AI the last resort for environmental conservation. Bahrain has made tremendous progress and safeguarding its environment thanks to the bold initiatives taken so far.

Going forward as the pressure of population keeps rising and the resources of the nation keep dwindling, the environmental challenges will keep getting complex and more difficult to solve. Keeping the future environmental complexities in mind, Bahrain must prepare a software platform with the help of AI that is able to solve these ecological hurdles and offer multiple solutions within no time.

For instance, in the protection of marine life, Bahrain can deploy AI to help predict the spread of invasive species, track marine litter, monitor oceanic currents besides understanding the pollution levels. The main AI technology in this field would be the AI based autonomous vehicle (AUV) and underwater robots.

Similarly, AI can also be used to detect oil spills by using Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technologies to detect oil spills in the marine environment. On land, AI can be used by Bahrain to play a pivotal role in conserving ground water levels and protect the quality of the same.

The ANN technologies coupled with Support Vehicle Machines (SVM’s) can quickly track ground water pollution patterns and offer accurate data for policy makers to take decisions on real time basis that will eventually help preserve the groundwater quality and conserve the water table as well.

Using the same principles Bahrain can benefit a lot by utilising AI for monitoring air quality and keeping track of the chief contributors to air pollution. This will not only take carbon footprint assessment to a whole new different level but will also help Bahrain take the right decisions in keeping air pollution under check.

AI can be a superlative option for decision-makers and policy makers alike. An AI based Big Data System can collate the information and statistics pertaining to environment in record time and present the same in understandable manner to the decision makers. This can help in taking quick decisions and save critical time as well as environment.

Artificial intelligence is the technology of tomorrow that can be used today to ensure that our environment is future proof.

(The author is Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Daily Tribune)