India Plans 'Mausam GPT': AI-Powered App To Make Weather Forecasts Smarter, More Accessible Nationwide

In a world where climate change presents frequent challenges, India is working on a ChatGPT-like application to make weather forecasts more accessible to people across the country.

"Mausam GPT" is a state-of-the-art system designed to provide quick and reliable weather-related information in both text and audio forms. It will be rolled out in the next five years.

This initiative is part of the Rs 2,000 crore Mission Mausam, designed to make India “weather-ready” and “climate-smart.”

For those unfamiliar, ChatGPT is a type of language model specifically designed to generate human-like text responses for tasks such as answering questions and engaging in conversation. It is built on the GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) architecture, which is a deep learning framework that has significantly advanced the capabilities of AI in natural language processing and human-computer interaction.

Similarly, Mausam GPT will harness this transformative technology to provide more intuitive and reliable weather information across India.

Spearheading the project are three key institutes under the Ministry of Earth Sciences: the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune, and the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) in Noida.

In recent years, IMD has taken significant steps to improve its weather forecasting and warning systems using cutting-edge technology. It has launched seven services on the ‘UMANG’ mobile app — covering everything from current weather updates to cyclone warnings — for public use.

Additional apps like "MAUSAM" for weather forecasting, "Meghdoot" for agromet advisory, and "Damini" for lightning alerts have also been developed to reach diverse users.

Moreover, IMD conducts regular media briefings, issues press releases on significant weather phenomena, and shares daily, weekly, and monthly weather videos to keep the public informed.

The introduction of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered forecast dissemination systems like Mausam GPT will further enhance the speed and accuracy of crucial weather information, empowering citizens to better manage emergencies.

Experience also shows that the return on investment in disaster prevention is almost invariably better than that from post-disaster reconstruction. For instance, in the United States (US), AI-enhanced weather forecasting systems have improved prediction accuracy by up to 30 per cent, while in Japan, AI-driven early warning systems have cut response times to natural disasters by up to 50 per cent.

Effective communication of early warnings is essential to save lives and enable timely action. AI technologies, such as those integrated into Mausam GPT, can optimise how alerts are disseminated.

For example, in South Asia, AI is used to tailor messages through various channels, ensuring warnings reach the right people. AI can also translate warnings into multiple languages and customise alerts to facilitate actionable warnings.