Actionable Intelligence for Ocean Observing

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and large language models presents transformative opportunities for ocean observing; yet much of the current discourse around “AI in marine science” remains too broad, too general, or disconnected from tangible outcomes. This Research Topic moves beyond the application of AI as a technical exercise and instead asks a pointed question: what actionable problems does your work solve?



Ocean observing encompasses a full value chain; from the design and deployment of observing platforms (satellites, autonomous vehicles, low-cost sensors, and citizen-driven tools), through data acquisition, quality control, and metadata enrichment, to the interpretation, communication, and application of ocean information for science, policy, and the blue economy. Artificial intelligence is already reshaping each of these stages, but its true potential lies not in the technology itself, but in the actionable intelligence it produces.



This Research Topic invites contributions that critically examine how AI-driven approaches are advancing ocean observing in ways that deliver measurable impact. We are particularly interested in work that:

- Bridges observation and action — demonstrating how AI transforms raw ocean data into decision-relevant information across timescales, from near-real-time marine hazard detection (e.g. marine heatwaves, harmful algal blooms) to long-term climate monitoring (e.g. AMOC variability, ocean carbon uptake).

- Enhances the ocean observing value chain — including automated quality control, intelligent sensor networks, adaptive sampling strategies, data fusion from heterogeneous platforms, and AI-enriched metadata workflows.

- Expands access and inclusion — showcasing low-cost, scalable, or community-driven observing approaches enabled by AI, with particular attention to the Global South, indigenous knowledge systems, and participatory science.

- Supports ecosystem assessment and blue economy applications — such as biodiversity monitoring through image recognition, acoustic detection, or environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis; verification and valuation of ecosystem services; and digital measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) for blue carbon markets.



Submission guidelines

We welcome Perspective articles that offer personal insights, original viewpoints, and forward-looking visions grounded in the authors’ experience. We also welcome Review articles that synthesise the state of the art across a defined domain within the scope above. Authors are encouraged to address:

- What actionable problem does this work address?

- What is the demonstrated or projected impact on ocean observing, management, or policy?

- How does this work contribute to a more inclusive, efficient, or responsive ocean observing system?



By foregrounding actionable intelligence over artificial intelligence, this Research Topic aims to curate a collection of contributions that reflect the urgency, ambition, and practical vision needed to serve the goals of the UN Ocean Decade and beyond.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: actionable intelligence, ocean observing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, earth observation, blue economy, digital MRV, biodiversity monitoring, climate observation, ocean data, low-cost sensors, Global South, FAIR data

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.