As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to dominate headlines and industries, the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) remains a pioneer in the veterinary medicine space, exemplified by the new special issue of the American Journal of Veterinary Medicine (AJVR), “From Bark to Bytes: Artificial Intelligence Transforming Veterinary Medicine,” which showcases research presented at last year’s Symposium on Artificial Intelligence in Veterinary Medicine (SAVY) and guest edited by CVM scientists Casey Cazer, D.V.M. ’16, Ph.D. ’20; Dr. Parminder Basran and Renata Ivanek, Ph.D. ’08. The three discussed the issue in an upcoming episode of Veterinary Vertex, the AJVR-JAVMA podcast. 

This special issue comes just a few weeks in advance of the second SAVY event, which will once again be hosted at CVM on May 16 – 18 and will feature new research topic areas such as wildlife health, and will host keynote speakers Dr. Miel Hostens from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Dr. Alex Dehgan from Conservation X Labs, Dr. PJ Noble from the University of Liverpool and Dr. Peter Clardy from Google Health’s clinical enterprise team. Additionally, event presenters and partners will share the latest in AI innovations in the veterinary medicine space.

This second symposium builds on the momentum that was set in motion by the first, which was  funded by the FDA. “That first event catalyzed a number of grant projects that are being submitted or have been submitted to the USDA, NSF and the FDA,” says Basran. He notes that AI research is a bright spot during reductions and threats to federal grant funding for academic projects.

The topic area is also clearly prioritized in the scientific community as well. “It is noteworthy that the presentations from the first symposium were of such high quality that many were then published in a peer-reviewed, high-impact journal like the AJVR,” says Cazer. Those presentations cover AI applications in bovine respiratory disease prevention, antimicrobial resistance communication and dog breed identification — to name just a few.

“These symposia are evidence that Cornell is becoming a hub for AI research in veterinary medicine,” Ivanek says. “It’s bringing people together, and our mission is to make sure people across disciplines are involved — that’s the only way this field can move forward.”

The next SAVY event promises to continue making progress in this area, with proffered talks from experts in diverse areas focusing on AI usage in livestock health, comparative and One Health, companion animal health and much more. “We’re excited to see how this next conference ignites even further collaboration and innovation,” says Basran.

Registration is currently open, with free virtual registration available for those living in Lower Middle Income Countries. Those interested in attending can register at www.cornellaivet.org.

Written by Lauren Cahoon Roberts