GenCast: Google DeepMind’s AI Breakthrough in Weather Forecasting
Weather predictions are being revolutionized by artificial intelligence which has the potential to save lives. On Wednesday, December 4th Google DeepMind released GenCast which is a new AI weather prediction model that scientists claim increases forecast accuracy and speed. They claim that it could allow people who are in danger more time to be ready.
According to reports, the AI model can more accurately anticipate severe weather than traditional forecasting techniques.
As per the research that was published in Nature on Wednesday, GenCast uses forty year’s worth of data from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) to make its forecasts. Researchers found that the Google model performed better than the European model in predicting temperature, wind speed and humidity and also it beat the ECMWF 15-day prediction by 97.2% in 1,320 different situations.
AI forecasting is also quicker than traditional methodologies. In comparison with hours spent using traditional weather forecasting techniques, the GenCast can produce a weather prediction in eight minutes. Additionally GenCast can be improved over time and may be able to forecast storm intensity.
The GenCast method’s “key components” will be included into the ECMWF’s own AI weather forecasting system which it described as a “significant milestone in the evolution of weather forecasting.”
The new technology seems to be being adopted by meteorologists as well and the majority are aiming for a hybrid strategy that combines AI models with human forecasts.
The public can’t currently use GenCast. GenCast and other AI models still need to straighten out a few major issues, especially in predicting the increasingly frequent and severe weather of a warming planet before it improves forecasting and saves lives.
Every advancement in this emerging technology gives human weather forecasters another instrument to provide precise forecasts that people depend on for almost every aspect of their lives.