Michigan State University Extension reported on May 4 that students in its weed science laboratory have conducted a comprehensive evaluation of plant identification smartphone apps and artificial intelligence platforms. The assessment, which began in 2018 and continued through 2025, aimed to determine the accuracy of various technologies in identifying a range of plants using photo recognition and geolocation data.
Plant identification is important for managing gardens, agricultural fields, restored habitats, and natural preserves. It supports understanding ecosystems and making informed management decisions. Michigan State University Extension Agriculture addresses challenges in food, health, and the environment through education, research, and outreach to contribute to public service, according to the official website.
The most recent evaluation involved groups of university students photographing ten different types of plants at locations on campus. These photos were then analyzed by three smartphone apps—Seek-App, Google Lens-App, PictureThis-App—and three AI platforms—Copilot-AI, Gemini-AI, ChatGPT-AI. Each technology was ranked based on its percentage of correct identifications compared with expert-confirmed results.
According to the report from MSU Extension’s weed science lab faculty member overseeing the project: “The top performing plant identification technology in the 2025 evaluation was PictureThis, with 76% of the suggested identifications being correct… Following this lead was ChatGPT (54% accuracy)… The remaining two apps and AI platforms fell between 28-48% in accuracy.” Nineteen student groups participated; seventeen said they preferred PictureThis due to its accuracy or ease of use.
Students noted that some categories such as grass species or Amaranthus seedlings were more difficult for all technologies tested. In these cases—and generally when using any app—it is advised users verify identifications with reputable sources like government or university websites. Michigan State University Extension Agriculture maintains facilities including greenhouses and horticultural gardens according to the official website.
MSU Extension Agriculture had an enrollment of 3,735 students across undergraduate through certificate programs for fall 2021 according to their official site. The organization also extends its presence throughout Michigan via major research centers statewide and collaborates with AgBioResearch scientists from eight MSU colleges for leading research initiatives as reported by their official website.
