Some of these gaps can be plugged in by deploying AI and machine learning.

Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, sometimes called the "rainforests of the sea." Coral reefs are a vital part of marine life, act as guards against forces of nature and are a key source of livelihood for millions. Unfortunately, these diverse habitats are rapidly degrading. Here's how advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) are being used to save coral reefs. Coral reefs are natural protectors for coastlines against storms and erosion.

A diver examines one of the coral nurseries on the coral reefs of the Society Islands in French ... [ ] Polynesia. While scientists have succeeded at restoring some coral reefs, humans alone can't save all the reefs that are dying across the globe, a NOAA reef restoration manager said this month. Even in the best of conditions, human divers can spend only three or four hours per day working under water, said Tom Moore, coral reef restoration program manager for the National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration. And those best conditions are rare. That's not enough to halt the collapse of one of the planet's most crucial ecosystems, Moore said at the EarthxOcean conference: half the world's coral reefs have died and the rest are expected to perish in this century.

Scientists have developed a spear-wielding submersible robot to hunt invasive lionfish in the western Atlantic Ocean. The fish have become a major problem in the waters off the coastal US and Caribbean islands; originally from the South Pacific and Indian oceans, lionfish have no natural predators in the area and are now out-competing native species. Researchers are now hoping an autonomous robot can help solve the problem by weeding out the lionfish and harvesting them without causing further damage to struggling coral reefs. Scientists have developed a spear-wielding submersible robot to hunt invasive lionfish in the western Atlantic Ocean. 'There are economic and environmental benefits to this, and the fish are delicious,' says Brandon Kelly, an undergraduate student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute who developed the robot's computer vision system.