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China’s AI weather warning system Mazu expanding across Global South

The system has been designed to provide ‘tailored’ services that help developing countries better prepare for extreme weather events

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The weather warning system on display at the World AI Conference in Shanghai last week. Photo: Getty Images
Dannie Pengin Beijing

Seven developing countries are now using a Chinese AI-powered weather warning system on the ground to help them better prepare for natural disasters such as typhoons and rainstorms.

Pan Jinjun, chief engineer at the China Meteorological Administration, described the system – named Mazu – as an international public good that provided “tailored early warning services for developing nations”.

Speaking to several media outlets ahead of the World Artificial Intelligence (AI) Conference in Shanghai, Pan said it was the first national project responding to the UN Early Warnings for All initiative, which aims to ensure everywhere on Earth is protected from extreme weather.

The public cloud version of the Mazu (Multi-hazard Alert, Zero-gap and Universal) system, which offers quicker access to meteorological data, has been tested by 40 Global South countries, according to People’s Daily.

The full system has also been deployed on the ground in seven countries – Pakistan, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Jordan, Mongolia, the Solomon Islands and Sri Lanka – where it has been physically woven into daily operations.

The system, named for the sea goddess Mazu, was intended from the outset for global use and first unveiled at last year’s World AI Conference in Shanghai.

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