Transforming Pollinator Safety Research with AI
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Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing our world, and Corteva is at the forefront of harnessing new AI technologies in our R&D efforts, in our digital solutions and in the way we work on the job. We’ve developed two new innovative AI models to enhance our pollinator safety research, producing data that is more reproducible, accurate, and consistent for measuring bee and beehive health than traditional methods.
Pollinators: An essential part of agriculture
One out of every three bites of food you take is thanks to an insect pollinator. Some crops, such as watermelons, blueberries, pumpkins, cocoa beans and vanilla, are completely dependent on pollinators to produce seeds, fruits and new plants. Because pollinators are so essential to farming and our food supply, regulatory bodies worldwide require crop protection products to be carefully evaluated for their potential effects on pollinators. Studies for pollinator safety are stringent, and products are tested extensively for safety under both lab and field conditions.
Why More Accurate Data Makes a Difference
Precise information about the number of adult bees in a colony, known as “colony strength,” is an important data point for regulatory studies. Accurate bee counts help determine whether a pesticide or other chemical has any effects on bee colonies in our studies.
Currently, beekeepers estimate the number of bees in a hive for research studies by making visual estimates, which can be prone to human error. Bees tend to cluster together and move around in layers, making it challenging to get accurate bee counts. Corteva’s new image analysis tools use AI to count bees and hives, significantly reducing the potential for human error – the models demonstrate more than 95% accuracy. Greater accuracy and precision in data collection ensures more reliable data for regulators, supporting the safe use of crop protection products.
AI Advancing Research
Corteva’s pollinator AI image analysis models are just beginning to be incorporated into Corteva’s research efforts. With several additional pollinator studies planned for important products in 2026 and beyond, we plan to integrate AI tools like these into the way we track honeybee colony health in our research.
The potential for AI in safety testing extends far beyond honeybees, too. Corteva is working on developing a flexible AI platform for various types of environmental safety testing, including uses for soil organism testing and aquatic plants. As AI image analysis technology advances, Corteva will continue to explore new and innovative ways to improve the quality and efficiency of regulatory studies, further reducing the potential for human error and enhancing environmental safety testing. Learn more about product safety at Corteva.