AI-powered bioacoustics are being developed to listen to wildlife sounds and analyze environmental recordings at scale, enabling faster and more efficient biodiversity monitoring than traditional field surveys.

The effort seeks to reshape biodiversity monitoring across Europe by turning ambient sound into actionable data while building a skilled workforce in acoustics, AI, zoology, and ecology.

Passive acoustic monitoring with smart recorders enables long-term, large-scale data collection in diverse environments, but requires automated analysis to manage data backlogs.

A four-year EU-funded BioacAI collaboration, led by Dan Stowell at Naturalis Biodiversity Centre, brings partners across Europe and the UK to automatically identify species from sound and process hundreds of terabytes annually by 2027.

This technology aims to turn ambient sound into useful biodiversity data, extending capabilities from common to less-documented species without replacing human experts.

Despite advances in AI, expert input remains essential for interpreting results and guiding investigations, including leveraging citizen scientists and sensor networks.

Managing the voluminous data—ranging from hundreds of gigabytes to terabytes—poses challenges, driving efforts to reduce power use and clear data backlogs.

To address the skills gap, the initiative trains researchers with interdisciplinary expertise in acoustics, AI, zoology, and ecology through a doctoral network.

Original reporting from Horizon Magazine notes ongoing BioacAI research through 2027, as it develops across Europe.

References to Merlin Bird ID illustrate current successes in common species identification and the extension of AI to less-documented species.

Bats are a focus, with researchers exploring ultrasonic calls and social chirps, including social calls to improve species identification and reduce manual processing.

Improved monitoring could uncover new species, habitats, and biodiversity hotspots, supporting the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 through enhanced ecosystem monitoring across Europe.