Nature is a natural phenomenon! Sounds odd? Perhaps, yes! The other day, one student requested me to give ideas on using the AI tool for environmental experiments. He was doing his summer project work. He wanted me to help him with some environmental concepts for applying AI tools. I do not know why he was asking for ideas from a person who does not have any technical background. There is no dearth of ideas on the internet. All he had to do was to use ChatGPT, Meta AI on WhatsApp, or even Google browser (which now uses an AI tool for searching). I learnt that there are 100s of such AI tools today in the global market. He probably wanted to identify some problem areas from a grassroot level worker like me.  I didn’t want to disappoint him, though it meant some extra effort for me. Of course, such small works do come often. The following were some of the ideas that flashed in my mind. They were all my felt needs at one time or another as an environmental activist. He chose the third idea

1. Develop a model to geotag all trees, the species location, etc. This may help stop illegal tree felling. There were some apps already. But we may explore using AI tools for better counting
2. Unauthorized garbage dumping is a big menace. We may develop an AI tool to track dumpers and clear the garbage. If the entire city is covered by an AI tool, something can be done promptly to clear the trash.
3. Bangalore’s traffic is a perennial problem. AI tool to track congested roads and make synchronized traffic management, pollution level, and roads with less traffic, coordinated traffic signaling, etc. This could save fossil fuel waste, reduce pollution levels, and save time on roads
4. Wild animals like leopards enter human colonies. The forest department is unable to track them for days. AI tool may help capture the animals and release them in jungles to avoid loss of life on both sides
5. Migratory bird tracking was traditionally done using the ringing method. Could an AI tool capture migratory birds electronically and track them to trace their route? Can it be used for a particular bird to find the number of days of flight, height, speed, non-stop or otherwise, climatic conditions in both places, eco systems, food similarity, etc.?

The above list is just indicative and not exhaustive. AI could be used widely in environmental research. However, the usefulness of this tool depends on how we use it. Artificially, one may even create a jungle or even a river or desert, and it may appear as if it is natural. But Nature is God’s creation. Oxygen can never be created in labs. Only trees can produce it to date. Even the human body and its various systems are still a mystery. Man has not yet decoded the basis of life and its beginning or end. But will life be the same after AI takes extensive strides? In the last few decades, the world has witnessed a lot of technological inventions. The lifestyle in the recent past has undergone drastic change. Survival is not that easy as we experienced in the 20^th century. This is the era of Artificial Intelligence. AI has already assumed wide dimensions in all spheres. Given the background of all these happenings in planet Earth, it appears that nature is not an exemption. If used properly, AI could prove very useful. If the same is used to get more likes and followers in social media, it may spread misinformation and fabrication. The choice is in our hands.