12 Ways AI is Improving Underwater Photography

M.A. Dworkin

Dive Sites, St. Croix - Today, social media is filled with AI images of underwater animals and creatures that don’t exist. Down around the depths of Davey Jones Locker, there is some worry that AI is being used as a weapon of photo-misinformation. And there is no doubt AI is starting to raise problematic questions involving its future applications, above and below the water line. But on the overall, AI has the potential to revolutionize underwater photography by enhancing image quality, automating tasks, and providing valuable insights into the underwater world. 

Granted, when commercial organizations choose to use AI creations instead of professional underwater photographers, it takes away jobs and money from hard-working photogs. Recently, on the underwater contest circuit, there is a story of a stunning image of a manatee, which moved into the final rounds of a competition before it was noticed the animal had an extra flipper. On further investigation, the creator was revealed to be an AI artist. 

Yet the truth is, when underwater photographers are submerged and snapping away, they are rarely capable of obtaining a flawless image. Given the many challenges, the amateur and professional underwater photog certainly has their hands full in trying to turn out a professional looking photograph. But now, software provides an array of interesting AI tools. Programs such as Topaz Photo AI assists to enhance and refine digital photos - it also helps with issues like noise reduction, blur, low resolution, sharpening and upscaling images. Adobe Photoshop 2023 has introduced several new features that use AI to make complex photo editing tasks easier and more efficient. AI also has the ability to enhance image clarity and identify subtle patterns in underwater data.

Here are some ways in which AI is currently being used to enhance underwater photography: 

• Image Enhancement - Underwater images often suffer from poor visibility, color distortion, and noise.

• Object Recognition and Tracking - AI can be used to automatically identify and track objects in underwater images.

• Automated Annotation - AI can assist in automatically annotating underwater images with relevant information.

• Real-Time Analytics - AI algorithms can analyze underwater images in real-time to provide instant feedback.

• Automated Image Sorting and Selection - AI can help automate the process of sorting and selecting the best underwater images from a large selection.

• Underwater Robotics - AI can be integrated into underwater robotic systems.

• Image Restoration - AI-based algorithms can be employed to restore and reconstruct the original details in degraded images.

• Automated Species Identification - AI can assist in the automatic identification and classification of marine species.

• Dive Planning and Navigation - AI algorithms can analyze underwater imagery and provide information for dive planning and navigation purposes.

• Constant Generation - AI can generate synthetic underwater images that resemble real underwater photography. 

• Automated Underwater Photography Systems - AI can be integrated into underwater camera systems to optimize image capture settings and ensure better quality photographs. 

• Environmental Monitoring - AI can be employed to monitor and analyze underwater environments using imagery data.

Just as the 19th-century camera transformed our ability to document and reveal the natural world, generative AI opens a creative and conceptual space, marking a new frontier in visual underwater storytelling.