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AI Ireland Podcast | E206 | Research and innovation

'The AI Revolution in Weather Forecasting' with UCD's Andrew Parnell

Andrew Parnell | University College Dublin

The big idea

AI weather forecasting can complement physics-based models when performance, uncertainty and climate context are rigorously evaluated.

About this conversation

Today's guest is Andrew Parnell, Met Éireann Full Professor of Data Science for Weather and Climate at University College Dublin. In the episode, Andrew discusses how his career path took an unexpected yet impactful turn. Originally aspiring to become a banker, Andrew now works at the intersection of climate change, AI and weather forecasting. This transition reflects not only a personal journey of aligning work with purpose but also highlights the larger narrative of how AI is revolutionising weather forecasting and related fields.

Editorial discussion prompts

Compare against established forecast models.
Communicate uncertainty and tail risk.
Curate reliable weather data.
Use hybrid physical and AI approaches.
Evaluate warnings, compute and extreme events.

Prompts to explore

Compare against established forecast models.
Communicate uncertainty and tail risk.
Curate reliable weather data.

Chapter guide

0:00His journey from maths to climate action; now curating collaborative research
5:06Driven by fascination with weather, urgency in climate extremes
7:36How AI has revolutionised weather forecasting, surpassing physics-based models
9:53AI matches physics in paths but lags in extreme forecasting
11:03AI connects climate data with human impact, enabling actionable insights
13:29Balancing accessible data with meaningful human health insights remains challenging
15:26How Climate change raises health, mental and energy efficiency concerns
17:27Using AI weather models more efficiently can reduce carbon footprint
18:32An insight into Met Éireann funding UCD's PhD degrees in AI weather forecasting

Editorial draft based on the official RSS description. The accompanying machine transcript is available for wording verification; full recording review remains pending. Names, quantitative claims, time-sensitive statements, rights and uncertain transcript wording remain publication holds.

The machine transcript and downloadable workbook remain in editorial review. They will be added only after names, terminology, rights and file delivery are checked.