The rapid expansion in the accessibility and capabilities of artificial intelligence has revolutionized a multitude of industries, from finance to literature and healthcare. In recent years, the technology has been increasingly employed by conservationists and ecologists to tackle some of the world’s most pressing environmental issues from mass deforestation to wildlife monitoring. Harnessing data from sensors on the ground and in the sky, AI algorithms analyse and provide essential insights into our changing planet. Often welcomed with great vigour and enthusiasm, with huge investment and intention to scale, there remain deep concerns regarding the justice implications of these techniques and the outcomes their usage has both socially and environmentally. Introduced in 2022 by Pritchard et al., Conservation Data Justice (CDJ) is a burgeoning field at the intersection of ecology, technology and sociology, bringing questions around coloniality, control and capitalism to the forefront of conversations on the application of AI to conservation issues and building a justice body of practice for empirical research. Through an exploration of current work in the field and pertinent case studies, this essay will highlight how CDJ scholars are addressing the ethical challenges posed by the application of AI and sensing technologies to essential conservation issues.