Thermal Cameras and AI Help Ships Steer Clear of Gray Whales

On a sunny Tuesday afternoon in May, San Francisco Bay is busy. Container ships the size of skyscrapers deliver their wares to the Port of Oakland, tankers bear fuel, and ferries carry tourists to their hikes and commuters to their jobs at AI startups. Looking down at this marine traffic from Angel Island, located near the entrance to the bay, a group of excited scientists point to some sparkles on the surface of the water: Three gray whales are coming up for breath. A collaboration of government agencies and scientists hopes to keep interspecies traffic running safely, thanks to an AI-based whale detection system that launched on 19 May. Developed by WhaleSpotter , based in Somerville, Mass., the system uses an AI model to detect whales in footage from thermal cameras looking down at the bay from Point Blunt on Angel Island. Detections are verified by a human to prevent…