TABOO - TRANSGRESSION - TRANSCENDENCE

The Encephalartos woodii (E. woodii) is a rare cycad on the verge of extinction. A pollen-bearing specimen was discovered in South Africa’s oNgoye Forest and removed for safekeeping. Offsets and stems from this original E. woodii have been cultivated in botanical gardens - all genetically identical and exclusively pollen bearing. Being dioecious, E. woodii requires a seed-bearing counterpart for sexual reproduction, but none has ever been found and it remains the last of its kind.

AI in the Sky tells a visual story of our search process in oNgoye Forest for a seed-bearing E. woodii, using remote sensing technologies and AI. It reveals a visually dynamic map from our drone mission on 22 January 2024 with an AI system trained on both real and synthetic cycads; it attempts to dissect and detect potential areas where the plant could be found. 

AI in the Sky begins with the drone’s ascent to reveal the forest below, and transitioning into the machinic processes where photographed tiles are stitched together into maps and spectral layers are analysed to uncover features beyond human perception. As the story progresses, synthetic cycads are seamlessly blended into the forest landscapes, and we see the AI system being trained from hundreds of images and commences its analysis of the mosaic maps, presenting potential cycad sightings through visual dissections. Indicators and movement guide the visual narrative, while smaller frames emphasise key moments in the AI’s search, focusing on decision-making and identifying cycad locations.

AI in the Sky underscores the entanglement between ecological exploration, storytelling, and the machines we now rely on to extend our capacities - illustrating the interconnectedness of human, nonhuman, and machine. It is a reflection on the broader implications of using AI and data-driven tools to engage with species loss.