Tech Overboard: AI Pollution Control in the High Seas | Insights with Jevant Russell

The sight of a rainbow after rain gives us endorphins, but seeing it on the surface of the water can only mean one thing, pollution. Shall we need not to forget the plastic bits and bottles emerging, floating around endlessly. This scene is truly unpleasant to the eyes of those who might be at beaches trying to enjoy a holiday soak and, to the fishermen who need the ocean to make a living.

Though what the majority of people may not realize is that under these waters, there is more happening than what we humans can see. Artificial intelligence not on land, in WATER. It is the path of light in a dark and deep blue sea. A hero for the environment. During an interview with a computer science and statistics student from BINUS University, Jevant Russell, he talks about AI having great strength in being able to process data taken from the environment, processing and analyzing at a speed humans simply do not match. “With computer vision and machine learning, we can train models to detect patterns like subtle color change, unusual shapes, or early signs of pollution that are too small or too complex for the human eye to catch,” he explains. He states that the AI has the capability to detect contaminated areas in satellite images much earlier than what humans anticipate.

This ability to isolate and locate threats is due to the structural build of the AI’s system. In much simpler terms, Russell explains that the core technology used in identifying objects in ordinary photos are much similar to the technology used in the ocean. The only difference is the encrypted codes within the AI system. “The architecture is often the same, but the specializations come from the data I fed into it,” he stated. This clarifies how AI identifies plastic, oil spills, contaminated waters and so much more. The AI studies and figures it out through hundreds, even thousands of stored image examples of waste. Unlike humans who learn from experience, the AI learns from the collected data.

While this might seem like a big turnout, detection is only the first step towards the goal. As soon as the AI allocates the pollution, they help in making decisions of what course of action they need to take. Russell points out that these cleanup systems use optimization algorithms who act as the strategic brain of AI. “We designed the system to evaluate factors like severity, location, available resources and urgency,” he shares. So if there were several polluted areas, the system would examine and calculate the most efficient route to get things done. Not only that, but it also locates dangerous areas and assists in distributing the volunteers. Unlike humans, they do not have emotional responses like panic and hesitation that could push back action.

However, it is worth noting that the decision-making process requires more than just images. In certain cases, they do not even use or rely on cameras. For example, we need to be aware that the ocean has multiple layers, therefore they use different kinds of sensors to inspect the waters instead. Russell has mentioned various needs of drone cameras for aerial mapping, underwater cameras for submerged debris, GPS to help track teams and cleanup robots, radars for scanning the beaches, chemical sensors for oil and so much more. With all these diverse inputs together, the AI would create a better, more valid picture than the human mind. The system would be a reliable observer for all the layers of the coastline at a remarkable range.

But what was most compelling was the point where Russell talks about how AI impacts real-time responses. It serves a purpose as the notifier and a part of the responding team. “The AI can predict where trash will accumulate based on wind and tide movement, notify teams when new debris washes ashore, and coordinate the movement of cleanup robots or drones,” he says. He brings up how it can even recommend volunteers to help, and alerts for safety risks. In his words, “I see the AI as a partner. It would detect, predict, plan and assist.”

In the end, what the AI offers would not replace human efforts. The technology helps take charge of cleaning vast oceans, read or predict pollution charts, and prevent humans from taking risky jobs in “untamed” territory. AI predicts and makes us see possibility, helps us to learn more about our environmental situations too. The more we can work together with AI, the more we can develop our deeper critical thinking skills, be more efficient with decisions. At last, humanity could be readily equipped for the obstacles that lay ahead.