Can Artificial Intelligence Save the Amazon Rainforest?

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon is one of today’s biggest environmental challenges, with thousands of square kilometres disappearing every year.

In this video, Assistant Professor Raian Vargas Maretto explains how his research uses artificial intelligence and satellite imagery to track and analyse deforestation more efficiently.

He explores:

• Why current monitoring relies on large teams of experts.
• The challenges of automating deforestation detection (and the problem of false positives).
• How cutting-edge methods like deep learning, convolutional networks, and transformers can make mapping more accurate.

Not familiar with these AI buzzwords? Don’t worry—we break down the “magic” behind the methods in simple terms in a previous Geoversity video: Neural Networks: The Foundation of Every Modern AI Breakthrough

This work not only speeds up deforestation detection but also frees experts to focus on policy and conservation strategies that really make a difference.