Microsoft opens up game-changing AI tool for public use — here's what it can do

In 2024 alone, severe storms, floods, and extreme heat displaced or disrupted more than 800,000 people worldwide, underscoring the urgent need for improved forecasting to save lives and protect infrastructure. 

To meet that challenge, Microsoft is advancing Aurora, an artificial intelligence model designed to help scientists better understand and predict Earth's weather.

Aurora is a large-scale AI forecasting model trained on one of the most extensive collections of atmospheric and environmental data ever assembled. 

According to Microsoft, the system can predict weather patterns, track hurricanes, monitor air quality, and model ocean waves and energy flows. 

The company announced a new phase for the project by making Aurora fully open-source, allowing researchers everywhere to collaborate, adapt the model, and apply it to local climate and weather challenges.

The shift matters because accurate forecasting shapes everyday decisions. Farmers rely on seasonal outlooks to plan planting, coastal communities use storm forecasts to prepare for emergencies, and energy operators depend on weather data to manage power grids. 

Microsoft said a key goal is empowering national meteorological services to tailor Aurora to their own environments, particularly in regions with limited forecasting infrastructure.

Aurora also highlights the growing relationship between artificial intelligence and the energy grid. Improved forecasts can help energy providers better anticipate demand, integrate renewable sources such as wind and solar, and protect infrastructure during extreme weather events.

At the same time, large AI systems require substantial computing power, raising broader concerns about electricity use, water consumption, and cost pressures as AI becomes more embedded in critical systems. 

Aurora's design — focused on efficiency, collaboration, and open access — reflects an effort to balance innovation with these real-world constraints. 

To strengthen forecasting where data is scarce, Microsoft is also investing in open-source, community-deployable weather stations through initiatives like SPARROW. 

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The company is further supporting Aurora's development through a research partnership with the University of Cambridge, funded by an AI for Good grant.

By opening Aurora to the global research community, Microsoft is positioning the model as more than a scientific experiment. 

Its myriad applications, from disaster preparedness to renewable energy planning, suggest a shared tool that could help societies adapt to a rapidly-changing climate while navigating AI's expanding role in daily life.

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