How WeatherNext 2 works: Google DeepMind’s AI model for faster, more accurate forecasts

Weather forecasting influences decisions across every part of modern life – flight operations, agriculture, retail planning, energy management and public safety. Yet the tools behind these forecasts haven’t always been fast or flexible enough to keep up with the world’s increasingly unpredictable climate patterns. Traditional numerical weather prediction models simulate the laws of physics across the atmosphere, but doing so requires supercomputers and hours of processing. In moments where minutes matter, that delay can be crucial.

Google DeepMind’s WeatherNext 2 proposes a new solution. It uses artificial intelligence to deliver global forecasts in less than a minute, while offering more detail and scenario diversity than many conventional systems. This explainer breaks down how it works