Enhancing Early Warning Systems with Artificial Intelligence
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in early warning systems is unleashing new mechanisms to advance monitoring and forecasting capabilities, optimizing warning dissemination and communication so that critical information reaches people at risk in time for them to act.
“Artificial Intelligence is a powerful tool in our mission to enhance early warnings and disaster management and can help ensure a safer and more resilient future for all,” said Dr Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau. “As the lead implementing agency for Pillar 3 of the Early Warnings for All initiative, we are fostering collaboration and partnerships among key public and private sector members, as well as academia and civil society, to use AI to advance early warning systems.”
About the ‘AI for EW4ALL sub-group’
The ‘AI for EW4ALL sub-group’ is a partnership between ITU, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), ITU-WMO-UNEP Focus Group on AI for Natural Disaster Management, Google, Microsoft, GSMA, and Group on Earth Observations (GEO).
It was established to leverage AI to enhance capacities and effectiveness of the Early Warning for All initiative and realize the outcomes of the EW4ALL Action Plan. The sub-groups are also working with partners and key stakeholders to develop strategies to scale EW4ALL with AI applications.
At the AI for Good Global Summit 2024, ITU held a workshop to foster dialogue and collaboration among stakeholders, including donors, and served as a matchmaking platform to connect technical experts with stakeholders to identify gaps and address practical challenges in delivering Early Warnings for All.
Some of the speakers shared their thoughts on how can we use AI to improve Early Warnings for All?
An example of where ITU is leveraging AI is in the development of an advanced AI-powered visualization tool based on the Disaster Connectivity Map (DCM) in collaboration with Microsoft AI for Good Lab, Planet, and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at University of Washington. The tool plays a key role in the EW4All initiative by identifying gaps in telecommunication coverage, and assessing which messaging channels (e.g. fixed broadband, 2G SMS, 3G+) are available for sending early warning notifications. By quantifying the offline population, the tool helps determine the reach and effectiveness of early warning systems before and after disasters. Initial piloting of this tool is underway in Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu, with plans to expand to over 30 countries involved in the EW4All initiative, enhancing disaster response and connectivity resilience globally.
This is an ITU Development #DigitalImpactUnlocked story
