AI-powered robots and smart technologies are being deployed to plant vegetation and combat desertification in China. In an exclusive interview with China Media Group (CMG), Yasmine Fouad, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), said AI will be an essential direction for tackling land degradation and drought.

She highlighted China's efforts in combining advanced technology with efficient water use, and expressed hope for greater international cooperation on AI and desertification control. Fouad also noted the active participation of Chinese experts in UNCCD scientific work and the preparation of the third edition of the Global Land Outlook.