Dear colleagues, We invite you to join us for a full-day pre-conference workshop, "Evolving AI Applications in Modern Marine Mammal Science: From Computer Vision to Generative and Agentic AI," Sunday, October 18, 2026 at the SMM 2026 conference in Puerto Rico. A virtual attendance option will be available. Building on a well-attended 2024 workshop, this session examines the rapidly evolving landscape of AI across our field, organized around three interconnected themes: computer vision (individual ID, abundance estimation, body condition, attribute classification), AI in bioacoustics (real-time detection, call classification, behavioral state inference), and generative and agentic AI (data augmentation, synthetic training data, literature synthesis, research communication). Across all three, we will keep accessibility and interpretability, context, and appropriate use — validation, transparent methodology, awareness of bias and limitations, and data sovereignty — woven through the discussion rather than treated as a separate topic. Confirmed speakers to date include: • Jason Holmberg (Wild Me / Conservation X Labs) — creator and engineering lead of the open-source Wildbook platform, which pairs computer vision with citizen science to individually identify wildlife at global scale. • Charlotte DeBasso (Bio-Inspired Research & Development (BIRD) Lab, USN, NUWC, Newport R.I.) — developing machine learning algorithm for automatic detection of whales based on thermal fluke print signatures. • Ane Liv Berthelsen (Hoffman Lab, Bielefeld University) — using individual-based genetic and phenotypic data to study trait variation in Antarctic fur seals. • Shane Gero (Dominica Sperm Whale Project; Biology Lead, Project CETI; Carleton University) — applies machine learning to decode sperm whale communication and culture from decades of longitudinal field data. • Denise Herzing (Wild Dolphin Project) — four decades studying wild Atlantic spotted dolphins, now applying generative AI (DolphinGemma) and the CHAT interface to explore dolphin communication. • Henry Sun (Duke University Marine Lab) — Low Rank Adaptation fine tuning of diffusion models for generating highly accurate synthetic imagery • …and more to come... We are seeking additional speakers, and we are especially interested in contributions exploring and applying generative and agentic AI in marine mammal science. We encourage speakers to focus less on their specific methods and results, and more on the process of integrating AI into their science — including how their own agency as researchers is shifting as these tools enter the workflow. Talks that surface what is genuinely changing about how we work, where AI is helping, and where it falls short will be most valuable to the group. The format combines invited presentations on methodological advances with facilitated discussion, so participants can gain practical knowledge for conceiving, developing, implementing, and evaluating AI tools in their own research. A core goal is to build collaborative networks and identify opportunities for shared resources, training datasets, and methodological standardization across the community. If you would like to present, or have questions about participating, please contact us: • Ted Cheeseman, BTBEL / Ocean Sciences, UC Santa Cruz & Happywhale — ted@happywhale.com • Guy W. Oliver, Institute of Marine Sciences, UC Santa Cruz — oliver@ucsc.edu Workshop details and registration information are available on the SMM2026 workshops page: https://www.smmconference.org/workshops/ We look forward to seeing you in Puerto Rico. Ted Cheeseman & Guy Oliver — Dr. Ted Cheeseman Director, Happywhale // Research Fellow, University of California Santa Cruz ted@happywhale.com // www.Happywhale.com Support ocean conservation science! https://donorbox.org/donate-to-the-whales-of-guerrero-and-happy-whale Happywhale on NPR: https://n.pr/42W0vjI and https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2024/07/31/ai-whale-recognition Recent publications: Bellwethers of Change: North Pacific humpback whale climate response: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.231462 Humpback whale automated image recognition: https://rdcu.be/cCOtw Multi-species image recognition: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/2041-210X.14167 ** know your whales :) ** — I live and play on unceded lands of the Ohlone.