Microsoft's 'Planetary Computer' wants to help preserve biodiversity

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Microsoft has plans to be carbon negative by 2030, and now it hopes to lend a helping hand to other interested third parties who are working to improve the environment. The Planetary Computer project wants to take data and process it through artificial intelligence and machine learning to provide satellite imagery, environmental and biological data and more to partners and customers. The hope is the data can be used for decision-making about environmental issues, both in the public and private sectors. 

Planetary Computer is more than a single machine. It is an extension of Microsoft's AI for Earth, which puts AI tools in the hands of its partners working on the ocean, wildlife, forestry, and agricultural endeavours. The company plans to invest more in areas like land cover mapping, land usage information, and species identification. The aim is that it can use and build its digital resources with more data that third parties can use to preserve wildlife and the environment.  

The company will collaborate with the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network, offering them a US$1 million grant. The organization will monitor the Earth's biodiversity closely and develop measurements that are accurate enough for conservationists and researchers to use.  

The development of this framework will be useful for environmental initiatives, while also opening it up to used beyond that, too.

Source: Engadget