As one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, improving the speed and precision of predictions has become urgent—an area where new advances in artificial intelligence are beginning to play a vital role.
Advanced models to support local expertise
Building on this push for more accurate forecasting, Google announced that its AI-powered flood and cyclone prediction models are enhancing the collaboration between the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and Weathernews Inc. (WNI), a global weather intelligence provider.
The partnership integrates Google’s cutting-edge models into the agencies’ forecasting workflow, providing a more complete picture of a storm’s potential impact.
By combining global innovation with local expertise, forecasters can make more precise and timely assessments—especially during intensifying typhoon seasons.
“We are pleased to see this partnership between WNI and PAGASA progress and hope our models can continue to make a positive contribution to forecasting in the Philippines,” Raia Hadsell, VP of research at Google DeepMind, said in a press statement.
Supporting climate resilience through collaboration
Google emphasized that while AI plays a powerful role in climate adaptation, partnerships with expert agencies remain essential. “It’s encouraging to see Google’s AI models for flood forecasting and cyclone prediction being used in the Philippines,” said Yossi Matias, vice president & GM, Google Research, in the same statement. “Strong collaborations with governments and expert organizations like WNI are key to improving disaster preparedness and making communities safer.”
Making communities safer, one forecast at a time
For Google Philippines, the initiative reinforces the company’s commitment to help build resilience in a nation heavily exposed to natural disasters.
“Improving the ability to forecast storms is a critical step in keeping Filipino communities safe,” said Prep Palacios, country manager, Google Philippines.
“By bringing our AI models to PAGASA and WNI, we are giving forecasters a more complete picture of a storm’s potential impact and helping build a safer Philippines—especially during typhoon season.” —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
