From sensor fusion to real-time data sharing, Orca AI is bringing AI into everyday navigation. But complex situations still test what the technology can, and cannot, do.
In this episode of HANSA.newscast, Janne Silden speaks with Dor Raviv, Co-founder and CTO of Orca AI, about how AI is being used in maritime navigation today. and where its capabilities and limitations lie.
Orca AI started collecting and analysing maritime safety data from ships years before the current wave of AI adoption. Today, its technology supports crews in navigating more safely and efficiently, while its Co-Captain network allows ships travelling on the same routes to share information such as weather, traffic density and port traffic in real time.
A central topic of the conversation is data. As state-of-the-art AI models become increasingly available, Raviv argues that the models themselves are becoming more of a commodity. The bigger advantage lies in the variability and quality of the dataset behind them. But even with more and better data, challenges remain: AI still finds it difficult to prioritise risk and understand context when situations become complex.
The discussion also turns to autonomy. Rather than an all-or-nothing concept, Raviv describes autonomy on board ships as a spectrum, with selected parts of a voyage automated under the authority of the crew.
The conversation also explores how different generations of seafarers use new navigation technology and why bringing more advanced tools on board could play a role in attracting younger people to a career at sea.
