The Impact of AI-Assisted Nature Identification Tools on Nature Observation Practices: An Exploration of Personal Data

While nature identification apps that include AI identification tools are growing in popularity, their effects on users' observation experiences have been understudied compared to their usability. This analysis of personal data explores the effects of incorporating AI-assisted identification tools into individual practices of nature observation. The author's birdwatching checklist records from 2014–2024 are analyzed to identify changes in the number and type of birds observed before and after the 2021 adoption of an AI sound analysis tool (Merlin Bird ID) into observing excursions. Results of using the AI tool are compared to the results of solo and group birdwatching excursions and demonstrate that the impact of adoption of AI-assisted nature identification tools on meaning-making is highly dependent on the user's observation practices and the social context of nature excursions.