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Legislators from both the House of Representatives and the Senate are advocating for a new measure aimed at enabling the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to utilize artificial intelligence in the management of wildfires and severe weather occurrences.
The proposed legislation, introduced on Wednesday by Senators Brian Schatz, a Democrat from Hawaii, and Tim Sheehy, a Republican from Montana, seeks to investigate the application of AI-driven weather models. These models would be designed to analyze future Earth system scenarios by harnessing machine learning based on datasets from weather forecasting.
A corresponding bill was also presented in the House by Representative Scott Franklin, a Republican from Florida. Both Schatz and Franklin had pushed similar initiatives during the previous congressional session.
If passed, NOAA would be required, within a four-year timeframe, to work alongside the Department of Energy, NASA, the National Science Foundation, and other relevant organizations. The aim would be to “develop and curate comprehensive weather forecasting training datasets” that would include essential Earth system data, quality assessments, and necessary metadata for accurate weather forecasting.
The legislation emphasizes that these datasets should build on existing Earth system reanalysis information provided by the federal government.
Additionally, the proposal would allow NOAA to explore further AI initiatives. This includes the potential for the agency to develop and trial a global weather model utilizing artificial intelligence and to experiment with localized weather predictions through these advanced technologies. The agency may also seek to enhance its communication regarding weather and wildfire risks through AI.
A press release regarding the bill mentions that NOAA would be tasked with collaborating with private and academic sectors on innovations in AI for weather and wildfire forecasting.
In a statement, Sheehy conveyed that integrating AI into NOAA’s forecasting and threat assessment tools would enable authorities to anticipate the severity and impact of weather events, thus allowing for timely preventive actions.
NOAA has already begun implementing certain AI technologies to improve its forecasting and data-sharing practices. In a conference held last December, former NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad noted that the integration of cloud computing and AI has significantly improved the agency’s ability to manage and disseminate data. In October 2023, NOAA announced its use of AI for translating weather forecasts into various languages, including Spanish and simplified Chinese.
However, the introduction of this legislation occurs amid ongoing layoffs and budget constraints initiated by the Trump administration and the recently established Department of Government Efficiency, which could further strain NOAA’s workforce and affect its forecasting capabilities. Reports indicate that the agency has laid off numerous probationary employees and that upcoming budget proposals may threaten the closure of key weather and climate research labs as well as the elimination of NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research.
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