Chat with Sassy Plants: AI Brings Botanic Garden to Life!

Cambridge University Botanic Garden has launched a unique exhibition where visitors can chat with plants using artificial intelligence. This exhibition, called Talking Plants, is described as a world first and offers a playful way for people to learn about evolution, ecology, and the cultural importance of different plants. There are 20 plants in the exhibition, and each one has been given a special name and personality. For example, Jade the Vine is known as the sassy ceiling-swinger of the Tropics House, while Titus Junior, the Titan Arum, is blunt, dramatic, and famous for its strong smell.

To talk to the plants, visitors simply scan a code next to each plant with their phone. This opens a chat box where they can type or speak their questions. The plants are able to reply, either by text or voice, and share information about themselves. The exhibition also includes meditation sessions led by the plants and trivia games to make the experience even more interactive. Some of the other talking plants include Tumbo the Welwitschia, who is dry-witted and stubborn, and St Helena Ebony, who is dignified and a survivor.

Professor Sam Brockington, who curated the exhibition, says that the use of AI is not meant to replace the knowledge of human experts. Instead, it is about finding new ways to help people learn and become curious about the plant world. He hopes that this technology will help visitors understand important issues like biodiversity loss and environmental change. Gal Zanir, the co-founder of Nature Perspectives, which helped develop the exhibition, says that this is a new way for people to connect with the living world. The AI used in the exhibition was carefully trained with scientific data to make sure the information is accurate. The Talking Plants exhibition runs from 11 February to 12 April, and the garden hopes it will inspire more people to care about plants and nature.