Case studies

Discover more about our case studies, showcasing the collaborations we've undertaken with other organisations to create impactful work using artificial intelligence and environmental data science.

DOC Habitat annotator and classifier

May 19th 2025New Zealand's delicate reef ecosystems need careful protection, and analysing marine imaging data is key to this effort. To support this, TAIAO has teamed up with the Department of ConservationRead more

Aotearoa Species Classifier

April 10th 2025The Aotearoa Species Classifier is the first comprehensive New Zealand-specific species classifier through Artificial Intelligence (AI). Trained using a data set of over 1.2 million expert-annotatedRead more

Forest Flows Monitoring

April 10th 2025Clean, fresh water is essential for life. As land-use intensification and climate change place growing pressure on water resources, it is vital that we manage water use sustainably. Planted forests cRead more

Flood Prediction Tool

April 10th 2025The flood prediction tool is a new artificial intelligence system being designed by the University of Waikato to predict the impact of future flooding events in the Coromandel region. Being developedRead more

The TAIAO Podcast

Quantum for Climate Impact, The TAIAO Podcast is the official podcast of the TAIAO project. Recorded at the Quantum World Congress 2025, this series explores practical quantum machine learning approaches to climate-risk modelling, environmental data streams, and real-world impact using hybrid quantum–classical methods.

The first episode of our brand‑new second series is now live.

You can dive into it below or head to Spotify to listen to both seasons in full.

View all episodes on Spotify now

SEASON 2 EP01: Do quantum models really help for time series?

SEASON 2 EP01: Do quantum models really help for time series?Are Quantum Re-Uploading Units (QRUs) actually useful for time series prediction, or just an elegant idea? In this episode, we challenge their real-world value: what claims can truly be defended, what baselines they must beat, and how to design fair experiments on environmental data. We also discuss when to stop, and recognize when QRUs are simply not worth it.

SEASON 1 EP01: From Lab to Floods - Building Quantum for Climate ImpactIn this opening episode, members of the DelphiQ team introduce their backgrounds and motivations, from quantum research and engineering to environmental impact. Recorded at the Quantum World Congress 2025, the discussion sets the stage for how quantum machine learning can move from the lab to real-world climate challenges within the TAIAO project.

SEASON 1 EP02: The Climate Risk Challenge - From Data to ImpactThis episode focuses on the World Bank–sponsored climate-risk challenge tackled by the DelphiQ team. We discuss the problem of rainfall, flood risk, and climate-vulnerable regions, and how environmental data streams can be transformed into actionable insights using hybrid quantum–classical approaches.

TAIAO Talks

In our Case Studies section, we spotlight the innovative projects and passionate people driving our work forward. TAIAO Talks is your opportunity to hear directly from our team and gain deeper insights into what we do.

This week, we're featuring Dr Nick Lim, who gives a deep dive into the Flood Prediction Tool and the difference it is making in the world of AI environmental research.

The University of Waikato
University of Canterbury
The University of Auckland
Victoria University of Wellington
MetService
Beca