India’s $250 million plan to develop AI-powered “Mausam GPT” for smart weather forecasts
The government designated approximately Rs 2,000 crore (around $250 million) for the initial phase of this project.
India is poised to transform its weather forecasting capabilities with the launch of “Mausam GPT,” an AI-driven application that delivers prompt and dependable weather updates. This initiative is part of a larger endeavor known as “Mission Mausam,” which seeks to strengthen the nation’s meteorological framework and enhance the precision of weather forecasts.
Set to be implemented over the next five years, Mausam GPT will provide weather information in both textual and audio formats, thereby broadening its accessibility to a diverse audience throughout India. The application is being developed by three prominent institutions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences: the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) located in Pune, and the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) based in Noida.
The app is inspired by ChatGPT and employs sophisticated natural language processing methods to produce human-like responses to user queries regarding weather conditions. Users will have the ability to easily access forecasts via smartphones or basic mobile devices, ensuring that even individuals without internet connectivity can obtain essential weather information.
Mission Mausam signifies a substantial commitment to advancing India’s meteorological capabilities. The government designated approximately Rs 2,000 crore (around $250 million) for the initial phase of this project. This phase is dedicated to improving weather observation infrastructure through the installation of new Doppler Weather Radars, Radio Sonde stations, and other state-of-the-art meteorological instruments.
Key features of Mausam GPT
Enhanced Forecast Precision: The initiative seeks to improve the accuracy of short- to medium-range weather forecasts by 5-10%, tackling the challenges presented by intricate atmospheric processes and the effects of climate change.
Upgraded Observation Infrastructure: The strategy encompasses the establishment of 50 Doppler Weather Radars along with various other observational devices to more effectively monitor weather patterns.
AI Integration: By integrating artificial intelligence technologies into weather forecasting, Mausam GPT will enable the rapid dissemination of alerts and warnings, empowering citizens to react swiftly to severe weather conditions.
Public Accessibility: The application will serve a wide range of populations by offering information in multiple languages, ensuring that all segments of society can access timely weather updates.
The incorporation of artificial intelligence into meteorological practices is anticipated to improve both the speed and precision of weather predictions greatly. For example, AI has already demonstrated its effectiveness in various countries; in the United States, systems enhanced by AI have achieved a prediction accuracy increase of up to 30%, while Japan’s early warning mechanisms have successfully shortened response times to natural disasters by as much as 50%.
This technological progress is particularly vital for India, which is experiencing increasingly unpredictable weather patterns as a result of climate change, including localized flooding and droughts. By enhancing forecasting capabilities, authorities seek to better address these issues and mitigate their effects on agriculture, disaster management, and public safety.
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