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Victor and Tash at the War Memorial in Stratford
Over the past two weeks, Victor and I have had the privilege of engaging with different local communities through various events and activities. From presenting at local conservation events to working with rangatahi on understanding AI, we’ve been actively involved in sharing our knowledge, learning from others, and building stronger connections. Here are some highlights of the mahi we’ve been a part of recently.
On Wednesday, September 4th, Victor and I had the opportunity to participate in Taranaki Regional Council’s first-ever Conservation Day, held in conjunction with the Nationwide Conservation Week. It was a fantastic day dedicated to sharing conservation efforts with the community, and we were thrilled to be a part of it!
We joined other conservation organisations from across the region to present our mahi (work) and connect with like-minded groups. It was a great chance to inform the public and educators about the important mahi Wildlife.ai is currently undertaking. We highlighted how artificial intelligence (AI) is helping streamline data collection processes, making conservation efforts more efficient and impactful.
We also shared updates on the development of the “Wild about AI” school project that I am working on, which aims to educate students about the role of AI in conservation.
Overall, it was a wonderful day for networking, sharing ideas, and building stronger relationships with other conservation organisations.
Victor and Tash at the War Memorial in Stratford sharing our mahi on conservation day.
Aupiki Presentation: Engaging Rangatahi with AI
On Tuesday, September 11th, 90 rangatahi (young people) from across the region gathered at Te Heru Māpara campus in Stratford for an exciting day of learning and exploration.
The event featured a series of 30-minute sessions filled with interactive activities designed to showcase local conservation efforts in a fun and engaging way. There were several organisations represented on the day. This includes; 800 Trust, Curious Minds, Tupu ā nuku and Te Ara Taiao. We began with the AI-powered game Quickdraw, where the rangatahi tested their skills in drawing to see what the AI would recognize.
We then moved on to a challenge where the rangatahi had to distinguish between real and AI-generated images, sparking lively discussions on how AI creates and processes visual content. After this, they tried their hand at generating their own images by providing creative prompts, experiencing firsthand how AI responds to different inputs.
These activities helped to illustrate various AI functions in a tangible way. We wrapped up the session with a demonstration on the Wildlife Watcher, showcasing the mahi that Wildlife.ai undertakes and how AI is being used to support conservation efforts and protect Te Taiao (our natural world.)
It was a fantastic day of discovery, creativity, and hands-on learning, and we were inspired by the curiosity and enthusiasm of the young minds who joined us!
