According to Xinhua News Agency, the Madrid Zoo Aquarium recently announced the addition of Irenia, a unique zookeeper developed through artificial intelligence and synthetic biology, to the Giant Panda support team. Irenia will provide relevant information for the pandas "Jin Xi" and "Zhu Yu," who arrived from China in April of this year.
Irenia is a digital persona that previously appeared on the zoo's TikTok channel, offering educational insights about giant pandas. Now, she has been featured on a large screen behind the zoo's giant panda exhibit, providing real-time information to visitors.
Image Source Note: The image is generated by AI, provided by the image licensing service Midjourney
Irenia was developed by experts in consumer experience, cybersecurity, and big data. She can use cloud technology to answer visitors' questions about animals and other aspects of the zoo in both English and Spanish. With the help of artificial intelligence, her knowledge base and language skills are constantly expanding, enabling her to identify whether she is interacting with adults, children, or visitors with disabilities and adjust her conversational style accordingly.
Sergio Palomo, the zoo's marketing director, stated: "With Irenia, we have not only taken a significant step forward in enhancing the zoo visitor experience but also laid the foundation for how artificial intelligence can positively and dynamically revolutionize education and entertainment."
Irenia's addition is part of the Madrid Zoo Aquarium's renewal of the Giant Panda protection agreement with the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association. The two pandas, "Jin Xi" and "Zhu Yu," will remain in Spain for the next decade. The Madrid Zoo Aquarium received its first pair of giant pandas from China in 1978.
