Why does AI matter in this verdant domain? Picture a world where data dances with genomes, phenotypes, and environmental variables in an intricate waltz of insight. AI orchestrates this symphony, revealing patterns and predicting outcomes at a speed that would make Mendel's peas blush. From spotting disease outbreaks to sculpting resilient crops, AI stands as the silent gardener, tending to our botanical bounty with digital finesse. In the lush fields of plant sciences, a digital dawn is breaking. Our recent survey journeyed into the minds of researchers, unveiling a tapestry of perceptions on the rising star: artificial intelligence (AI). Amidst a chorus of moderate awareness, AI's prowess in disease detection, phenotyping, and breeding echoed as promising melodies. Yet, like tendrils reaching for the sun, doubts lingered about trust, ethics, literacy, and the specter of obsolescence. Tools like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot wove through this landscape, painting a portrait of AI's multifaceted role in cultivating greener pastures.
There is a need to raise awareness among people about the significant impact that AI can have on advances in plant science. Our survey encompasses diverse participants, including undergraduates, postgraduates, PhD students, postdocs, data scientists, and individuals from many other backgrounds worldwide. Merely 8% of respondents claimed to possess a high level of familiarity with the subject matter, while a significant majority of 62% reported having a moderate level of familiarity and said that they have a basic understanding of what it does. Currently, there is an assumption that AI has the capacity to influence advancements in fields like genomics and phenotyping. However, most people are unsure about the extent to which it will be beneficial for practical use in the field of plant science. Although many people are not conversant about integrating AI with plant science, it promises to revolutionize all areas of scientific research. Many researchers agreed that AI has the potential to substantially improve the precision of plant breeding, early detection of disease, yield prediction, climate modeling, and plant phenotyping, sparking hope for a more efficient and sustainable future in plant science.
Click here to keep reading plantae.org