Ohio Teen Develops AI Tool to Combat Spotted Lanternfly Infestation
A 15-year-old from Butler County, Ohio, Melody Lin, has developed an AI-based tool to combat the spread of the invasive spotted lanternfly. This pest, which has no natural predators, poses a significant threat to fruit trees and crops across Ohio. The Ohio Department of Agriculture has placed all 88 counties under quarantine to control the infestation. Lin's project, part of her local 4-H chapter, uses AI to assess the risk of spotted lanternfly infestations in different areas of Ohio. Her tool, which won second place in the National 4-H AI in Agriculture Challenge, integrates data from the Ohio Department of Agriculture, local apple orchards, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to predict and manage the pest's spread. 
