AI in paleontology

Abstract

AbstractAccumulating data have led to the emergence of data-driven paleontological studies, which reveal an unprecedented picture of evolutionary history. However, the fast-growing quantity and complication of data modalities make data processing laborious and inconsistent, while also lacking clear benchmarks to evaluate data collection and generation, and the performances of different methods on similar tasks. Recently, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is widely practiced across scientific disciplines, but has not become mainstream in paleontology where manual workflows are still typical. In this study, we review more than 70 paleontological AI studies since the 1980s, covering major tasks including micro-and macrofossil classification, image segmentation, and prediction. These studies feature a wide range of techniques such as Knowledge Based Systems (KBS), neural networks, transfer learning, and many other machine learning methods to automate a variety of paleontological research workflows. Here, we discuss their methods, datasets, and performance and compare them with more conventional AI studies. We attribute the recent increase in paleontological AI studies to the lowering bar in training and deployment of AI models rather than real progress. We also present recently developed AI implementations such as diffusion model content generation and Large Language Models (LLMs) to speculate how these approaches may interface with paleontological research. Even though AI has not yet flourished in paleontological research, successful implementation of AI is growing and show promise for transformative effect on the workflow in paleontological research in the years to come.HighlightsFirst systematic review of AI applications in paleontology.There is a 10 to 20-year gap between AI in paleontology and mainstream studies.Recent progress in paleontological AI studies is likely a result of lowering bar in training and deployment.Future direction discussed for interactions between paleontology and AI.