Technology trends are making the collection and use of ocean data scalable and accessible. But what does this really mean for our sector? Scalable implies a solution can be produced in volume, quantities of hundreds or thousands as opposed to tens. This implies a reduction in cost and a wider availability of the solution. Accessible can imply lower cost but it also speaks to ease of use. Tools that operate like smart phones, and do not require expert technicians or scientists are accessible.
SCALING PLATFORMS & PAYLOADS
Today there are ocean robots, including uncrewed undersea vehicles (UUVs) and uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) that cost less than a base model, full-size, luxury sedan. While this is not exactly “cheap” it does allow for large volumes. A quick Chat GPT inquiry suggests that over 50,000 full-size luxury cars are sold annually in the US. That many oceangoing data collection platforms would represent a massive increase from the status quo. While this is not a fair analogy it highlights the potential of affordable ocean observing platforms to scale rapidly.
Of course, affordable platforms demand affordable sensors. Here too there are signs of progress. In ocean chemistry several startups are working on chip-based sensors, promising a “lab on a chip.”
Meanwhile the pandemic inspired a tremendous increase in Polymerase
Chain Reaction (PCR) analysis. This is driving the environmental DNA (eDNA) industry, where startups are working to bring the power of this biological monitoring innovation to the ocean.
MANAGING DATA ABUNDANCE
With ever more platforms, and equally scalable sensors, we can conceive of a future with orders of magnitude more data. Thus, the potential of AI becomes exciting. We have already seen preliminary implications of AI in adjacent uses, such as weather forecasting. There are dozens of teams applying AI techniques to make better use of undersea video. Recent publications suggest employing large language models combined with video models make it possible to analyze undersea video for specific features without prior training.
Suddenly that abundant data presents the opportunity for a Chat GPT like experience. When we can point a “bot” at a massive video archive, without demand for extensive training data, and ask it to count all the whales, that will be an era of ocean intelligence.
To unlock this potential, it is critical that developers and users of these new tools collaborate to develop effective policies and useful business models. The Marine Technology Society (MTS) is ready to convene stakeholders and foster these important conversations—to advance best practices, to inform standards and regulations, and to catalyze the development of new ocean and underwater technologies.
Join us on a journey to abundant ocean data and ensuing ocean intelligence for a profitable, and sustainable Blue Economy.
This feature appeared in ON&T Magazine’s 2025 Special Edition, The Future of Ocean Technology, Vol. 5, to read more access the magazine here.
