AI and Birding Apps: The Future of Environmental Communication

Species identification apps, like Merlin or iNaturalist, help nature observers sharpen their identification skills and identify plants, animals, and mushrooms. They are used for personal enjoyment and to support community and citizen science (CCS) projects. Several popular apps include AI-driven image or sound analysis tools that let users snap a photo or record an animal’s calls, and then suggest an identification. While apps are usually developed for specific audiences and purposes (e.g., CCS data gathering) that determine the types of features they offer, users have flexibility when they incorporate the apps into their own nature observing. Apps also work better for some groups of species than others and in higher-income countries, which creates problems when trying to use them in less-developed countries or to identify non-charismatic species. Altogether, this means using apps can affect nature experiences in different ways.

This leads to the question: How are species identification apps changing users’ experiences of nature? In this presentation, Sonia Stephens will discuss how using species identification apps has changed her own experiences of interacting with nature. She will also discuss the results of an interview study with other app users, which reveal how using apps can either enhance or detract from their experiences of nature depending on how they are used. For example, some users say apps help them make stronger connections to nature, while others are concerned that using apps makes them more task-driven and less mindful of the full spectrum of nature around them.

Sonia H. Stephens is an associate professor of technical communication in the Department of English at the University of Central Florida. Her research focuses on understanding how we can better convey scientific and technical information to different audiences using visual and interactive media, as well as how different audiences use interactive tools to achieve their goals. Her current research focuses on understanding how species identification apps and their AI tools are being used and how they affect the nature experiences of users.