Ethical collectomics: A guide to the responsible and fair mobilization of natural history collections

Natural history collections are being revitalized by emerging technologies, especially artificial intelligence. These advances enable collectomics—the large-scale extraction and analysis of specimen-derived data—creating new opportunities to address biodiversity loss, ecosystem change, and food security. However, they also raise ethical questions. Many collections are rooted in colonial and imperial histories, prompting questions about control, benefit sharing, representation, and responsibility, especially during political and social upheaval. As AI-powered collectomics expands, it may reproduce historical inequities and create new dilemmas. This article synthesizes the ethical dimensions of collectomics and offers practical recommendations for key stakeholders to support the responsible and fair mobilization of natural history collections, balancing scientific progress with equality, transparency, and fairness. This approach can help prevent the continuation of exploitative practices, strengthen global collaboration, and increase the societal value of collections in the Anthropocene.