This $198,141 project grant awarded by the National Science Foundation's Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) seeks to enhance predictive understanding of global species distributions through the development of advanced generative artificial intelligence (AI) models. The project aims to create a versatile foundation model that can be used by scientists, conservationists, and educators to better understand and protect the natural world. By training this model on a vast array of environmental and species occurrence data, the researchers will develop AI techniques capable of accurately predicting where different species are likely to be found, including in data-scarce regions. This AI-driven approach to species distribution modeling promises to advance biodiversity conservation efforts, enable accurate visualizations of species ranges, and foster public engagement with the natural world. The 3-year project will be conducted by Florida International University, a Hispanic-Serving Institution, which has extensive expertise in environmental research, computer science, and innovative technology solutions.