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Members of the public are making substantial contributions to science as citizen scientists, and advances in technologies have enabled citizens to make even more substantial contributions. Technologies that allow computers and machines to function in an intelligent manner, often referred to as artificial intelligence (AI), are now being applied in citizen science. Discussions about guidelines, responsibilities, and ethics of AI usage are already happening outside the field of citizen science. We suggest such considerations should also be explored carefully in the context of citizen science applications. To start the conversation, we offer the citizen science community an essay to introduce the state-of-play for AI in citizen science and its potential uses in the future. We begin by presenting a systematic overview of AI technologies currently being applied, highlighting exemplary projects for each technology type described. We then discuss how AI is likely to be increasingly utilised in citizen science into the future, and, through scenarios, we explore both future opportunities and potential risks. Lastly, we conclude by providing recommendations that warrant consideration by the citizen science community, such as developing a data stewardship plan to inform citizens in advance of plans and expected outcomes of using data for AI training, or adopting good practice around anonymity. Our intent is for this essay to lead to further critical discussions among citizen science practitioners, which is needed for responsible, ethical, and useful use of AI in citizen science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much can be at stake depending on the choice of words used to describe citizen science, because terminology impacts how knowledge is developed. Citizen science is a quickly evolving field that is mobilizing people's involvement in information development, social action and justice, and large-scale information gathering. Currently, a wide variety of terms and expressions are being used to refer to the concept of 'citizen science' and its practitioners. Here, we explore these terms to help provide guidance for the future growth of this field. We do this by reviewing the theoretical, historical, geopolitical, and disciplinary context of citizen science terminology; discussing what citizen science is and reviewing related terms; and providing a collection of potential terms and definitions for 'citizen science' and people participating in citizen science projects. This collection of terms was generated primarily from the broad knowledge base and on-the-ground experience of the authors, by recognizing the potential issues associated with various terms. While our examples may not be systematic or exhaustive, they are intended to be suggestive and invitational of future consideration. In our collective experience with citizen science projects, no single term is appropriate for all contexts. In a given citizen science project, we suggest that terms should be chosen carefully and their usage explained; direct communication with participants about how terminology affects them and what they would prefer to be called also should occur. We further recommend that a more systematic study of terminology trends in citizen science be conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]