How AI is helping farmers tackle unpredictable monsoons
This year, 38 million farmers across India got AI-generated monsoon updates via SMS, helping them plan their crops during a tricky and delayed rainy season.
The tech behind it—NeuralGCM, built by Google Research and enhanced by the University of Chicago—mixes historical weather data with machine learning to make smarter predictions.
NeuralGCM can predict monsoon's arrival up to a month in advance
By teaming up NeuralGCM with European weather models, scientists could predict the monsoon's arrival up to a month ahead and even spot an unusual 20-day dry spell.
Unlike old-school forecasting that needed supercomputers, this system runs on just a laptop—making accurate forecasts way more accessible.
Farmers adjusted when and what they planted
With these timely forecasts, farmers adjusted when and what they planted, which nearly doubled their yearly incomes according to researchers.
This project shows how easy-to-use AI can actually boost rural livelihoods and help communities adapt to climate change.