The Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine hosted its second Symposium on AI in Veterinary Medicine (SAVY 2.0) on May 16-18, with the theme “Innovation, Inclusion, and Impact.” 

 “At SAVY 2.0, veterinary medicine and computer science came together to unlock powerful tools to protect animal and human health,” says Dr. Parminder Basran, associate research professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences. “Using data and algorithms can help detect diseases faster, improve care and safeguard our shared ecosystems.” 

The event hosted 130 in-person attendees,  and, in its debut as a hybrid event, more than 80 virtual participants from 23 countries. The event’s reach was widened even more thanks to organizers providing free virtual admission for participants from low- and middle-income countries. 

Also new this year was the addition of wildlife health research topics, adding to the established focus on companion animals, production animals, population medicine, and One Health. 

Event co-organizer Renata Ivanek, Ph.D.'08, professor in the Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, stressed how comprehensive the benefits of AI can be in these areas. "AI in veterinary science is not just for veterinarians; it strengthens the food chain — from farm to fork — ensuring safer, more sustainable nourishment for all Americans,” she says. “Moreover, it can help us spot threats like bird flu early, before they spread — protecting our health and our economy. It can also guide us in handling these threats in the smartest and most balanced way for our communities.” 

“Conversations at SAVY between experts across fields inspires AI research and development that tackle real-world challenges faced in veterinary medicine, and for these collaborations to lead to timely solutions to help," says  event co-organizer Jennifer Sun, assistant professor of computer science in the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science.  

The conference featured four keynote speakers from across disciplines, speaking on a wide range of topics:  

• Dr. Miel Hostens of Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: “Effectively implementing AI at the interface between veterinary and dairy science – Lessons learned from the big data hype cycle.”
• Dr. Alex Dehgan of Conservation X Labs: “Democratizing AI for conservation.”
• Dr. P-J M. Noble from the University of Liverpool: “Language models in action: Real-world applications in veterinary health informatics and education.”  

• Dr. Peter Clardy of Google Health: “(How) will AI change discovery, education and care delivery?” 

  

In oral and poster sessions, over 20 proffered talks and 30 posters explored topics on wildlife health, One Health initiatives, livestock analytics and companion animal diagnostics. Representatives from VetRec, Zoetis, Scribenote, Radimal and Precision Analytics were present to showcase tools and products to aid in veterinary workflows. Over catered lunches, Ph.D., undergraduate and D.V.M. students, veterinarians, AI engineers, CEOs and even a tenth-grade high school student had the chance to reflect and connect on the future of AI in their respective sectors. 

Casey Cazer, D.V.M. ’16, Ph.D. ’20, sees a future ripe with opportunity. “Artificial intelligence holds enormous potential for veterinary medicine,” she says. “I think it will make our profession more efficient, which will help us provide better care, help more animals, and preserve the human-animal bond.”  

Please visit www.cornellaivet.org for future event announcements, including the date and time of SAVY 3.0.

Written by Lauren Cahoon Roberts

Photography by Carol Jennings