AI Helps Botanists in 'Race Against Extinction' of Vital Plants

A major report from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, says artificial intelligence and digitization could be a turning point in the fight to save vital plants before they disappear. Scientists call it a "race against extinction." New technology allows researchers to track how flowering times have shifted by weeks around the world. It also helps them quickly identify new plant specimens. In one case, AI helped extract crucial genetic data from 180-year-old fungus samples, which experts call a "genomic goldmine." Digitization and online access to millions of specimens—previously only available in physical archives—are also producing new insights, especially in the global south. The report highlights how these tools are speeding up efforts to protect biodiversity.