Pl@ntNet is a citizen science platform that develops and uses an AI-based plant identification tool. However, like any AI model, Pl@ntNet is not infallible: to maintain its performance over time, it must be continuously monitored, evaluated, and improved.
This challenge is particularly significant because of the ever-growing number of species available in the application—around 85,000 species today. Many of these species are extremely similar in appearance, making it difficult for the model to distinguish them with complete certainty, especially when they share very similar morphological characteristics. Moreover, the Pl@ntNet team remains relatively small, and it is impossible for us alone to verify every prediction and identify all potential model drifts.
This is why we rely on our community, and especially on the expertise of botanists and experienced users, to help detect errors, understand them, and correct them.
Some time ago, a group of expert users spontaneously emerged within the Pl@ntNet community after noticing recurring identification errors. On their own initiative, these users began correcting them through the collaborative validation system that we make available to all users.
Today, this group works closely with the Pl@ntNet team to support this essential effort, which is critical to the long-term sustainability of the platform. They actively monitor identification quality and alert us whenever a drift appears. They also contribute to corrections and help establish safeguards that continuously improve data quality.
And our collaboration with the community will not stop there. This year, we will be working on creating a special status for these contributors with advanced botanical expertise. This will help structure their valuable efforts, provide them with a direct connection to our team, and recognize the crucial behind-the-scenes work they carry out with remarkable dedication.
So, if you are motivated and have strong botanical knowledge—whether as a professional botanist or a highly knowledgeable amateur—you are welcome to join this initiative. If you are interested, please do not hesitate to contact us directly; we would be delighted to hear from you.
Get in touch with us at: contact@plantnet-project.org
