Photo by Scott Carroll on Unsplash
Google Launches SpeciesNet, An Open-Source AI for Wildlife Identification
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
Google announced on Monday, three new AI initiatives focused on nature and climate, including SpeciesNet, an open-source AI model designed to identify wildlife.
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- Google launched three new AI initiatives focused on nature conservation and climate action.
- SpeciesNet, an open-source AI model trained on 65M images, helps identify wildlife and track biodiversity.
- Google invested $3M in the Institute for Climate and Society and introduced a new accelerator for startups.
According to the official announcement , the company is developing projects to address nature and biodiversity loss.
“Today we’re announcing three new efforts to accelerate the protection and restoration of nature in regions home to some of the most critical habitats, ecosystems, and communities,” wrote Mike Werner, Head of Sustainability Programs & Innovation at Google.
The AI model released has been developed to analyze photos and identify species, and trained with over 65M images. SpeciesNet has been used by thousands of wildlife biologists since 2019 with the help of camera traps through a Cloud-based tool called Wildlife Insights. The tool has helped experts share data, monitor biodiversity, process rapidly, and inform organizations and communities, providing guidance in decision-making.
With its release, Google expects the tool to expand and be used by developers, academics, and startups specializing in biodiversity.
The tech giant also introduced a new accelerator for startups and made a $3M investment in the Institute for Climate and Society (ICS) to support organizations developing projects related to reversing biodiversity loss, bioeconomy, and regenerative agriculture.
Google’s accelerator will focus on startups in the Americas developing technologies to protect nature. Starting in May, the tech giant will offer 10 weeks of virtual programming training, mentorship, and technical support from Google engineers. Applications opened yesterday and will continue through March 31st.
The iCS will distribute Google’s $3M funding to selected Brazilian non-profit organizations willing to leverage AI technology to develop their initiatives on biodiversity protection.
Other international climate tech companies, like XOCEAN , have been taking advantage of AI technology to develop their sustainability and biodiversity protection projects.
Photo by Ganapathy Kumar on Unsplash
TSMC and Trump Announce $100 Billion Investment In U.S. Chip Manufacturing
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
President Donald Trump and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) announced a $100 billion investment plan in the United States on Monday after meeting at the White House.
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- TSMC and Trump announced a $100 billion investment to build five new chip facilities in Arizona.
- The expansion aims to boost U.S. semiconductor production and create over 40,000 jobs.
- TSMC now commits $165 billion to U.S. operations amid rising costs and geopolitical tensions.
According to Reuters , TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, will build five more chip facilities in Arizona to boost domestic production and create over 40,000 construction jobs. Three of these facilities will focus on chip fabrication, while the other two will specialize in advanced packaging.
“This $100 billion in new investment will go into building five cutting edge fabrication facilities in the great state that we just discussed, Arizona, and will create many thousands of jobs—high paying jobs,” said Trump.
The new investment aims to reduce U.S. reliance on Asian semiconductor production. TSMC had previously committed to expanding its U.S. operations—announcing in April 2024 an expansion of facilities in Arizona and increasing investments from $25 billion to $65 billion to establish a third facility by 2030. However, the company has faced delays as production costs in the U.S. are significantly higher compared to Taiwan.
“Higher costs are definitely a concern for TSMC,” said Andrew Tsai, chairman of Taiwan consulting firm Capital Investment Management Corp.
With the new investment, TSMC commits to a total of $165 billion, strengthening its ties with the current U.S. administration and American companies, amid tariff tensions, chip technology restrictions with China, and intensifying market competition.
In November 2024, the U.S. government ordered TSMC to halt shipments of AI chips to China after one of the company’s advanced AI chips was found in a Huawei AI processor, potentially violating the strict export controls imposed by the U.S. government.
“We must be able to build the chips and semiconductors that we need right here,” said Trump on Monday. “It’s a matter of national security for us.”
Meanwhile, OpenAI and TSMC have been reportedly collaborating since last year to develop custom AI chips, with plans to launch their models by the end of 2025.
