AWS & the Ocean Cleanup: Using AI to Slash Plastic Pollution
By 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than there is fish, according to data from the WWF.
An alarming 90% of seabirds now have plastic in their stomachs, while half of the marine turtles have ingested it.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, according to research by The Ocean Cleanup, is disrupting the ocean's ability to modulate the climate, which is decimating marine life.
AWS is using some of its considerable influence and capital to address this problem.
The world's largest online retailer is investing in environmental organisation The Ocean Cleanup.
This cash injection, along with the deployment of cutting-edge technology, will help the non-profit to remove more waste from our seas than ever before.
âWe are joining forces with Amazon Web Services to accelerate ocean plastic removal using AI," The Ocean Cleanup says.
"AWS will provide a range of technologies from IoT, satellite and edge computing to deploying drones and flotation devices to precisely track plastic accumulation.
"This will help create a 'plastic navigation' system that predicts debris movement and optimises clean-up operations.
"AWS will help improve our marine life detection systems using AI-driven technologies, reducing the need for Protected Species Observers to monitor them 24 hours a day."
More about The Ocean Cleanup
The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit that develops scalable technologies aimed at removing plastics from the ocean. Its mission addresses two critical points: preventing further plastic inflow via rivers and tackling the already pervasive oceanic waste.
The organisation's inception traces back to Boyan Slat, who conceived the idea after witnessing more plastic than fish while scuba diving in Greece.
His dream transformed into reality following a presentation at a TEDx Conference in 2012 and the official founding of the organisation in 2013.
Through diligent scientific research, prototyping and concept refinements, The Ocean Cleanup achieved Proof of Technology in 2021 for both river interception and addressing the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
âWhen people say something is impossible, the sheer absoluteness of that statement should be a motivation to investigate further,â Boyan says.
The role of AI in marine conservation
The collaboration with AWS centres around utilising its AI, machine learning and robust cloud computing features, with the aim to eliminate 90% of floating ocean plastic by 2040.
AWSâ AI-driven detection systems promise precise tracking of plastic swaths, enabling predictive modelling for informed decisions on debris movement.
Initially, the focus will be on developing hotspot detection to identify plastics scattered irregularly across ocean surfaces, enhancing the efficiency of steering collection ships to optimal locations based on predictive data models.
AWS' high-end cloud infrastructure will also replace the traditional marine life detection systems, diminishing the dependency on continuous manual monitoring, currently undertaken by Protected Species Observers.
What are the benefits to extracting plastic?
Removing ocean plastics will not only safeguard marine ecosystems by maintaining biodiversity, but will also hinder the fragmentation of waste into microplastics, which detrimentally infiltrate food chains.
The non-profit has thus far successfully extracted 64 million pounds of marine waste globally.
Leveraging AI technology will significantly slash operational costs by minimising the necessity of 24-hour surveillance by Protected Species Observers, thereby reallocating resources more effectively towards plastic removal operations.
The operation also contributes critically to climate stabilisation, as plastics obstruct the oceanâs natural processes of oxygen production and carbon absorption.
Therefore, reducing plastic debris is key to slowing the progression of climate change.
"Plastic pollution represents one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time and The Ocean Cleanupâs mission is vital for the health of our planet," says Dr Werner Vogels, Chief Technology Officer ofâŻAmazon.
"This collaboration demonstrates how advanced cloud computing and AI can serve as powerful tools for environmental stewardship, not only transforming oceanic data into actionable insights but also creating a blueprint for how technology can address critical environmental challenges across the globe."
