How Saudi Arabia tapping AI to monitor environment, extreme weather

Since the launch of Vision 2030, technological innovation and sustainability have been central to Saudi Arabia’s transformative plan, with artificial intelligence emerging as a key tool to tackle a range of issues, including environmental challenges.With nearly 90 percent of its territory covered by desert, the Kingdom is utilizing AI to combat land degradation, improve water resource management, and promote sustainable practices.The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology has joined the global AI race by advancing generative AI research.Its Center of Excellence for Generative AI adopts a multidisciplinary approach, focusing on technologies like multimodal foundation models and AI-assisted Earth observation systems to address challenges, including water scarcity and land degradation.Prof. Matthew McCabe, director of KAUST’s Climate and Livability Initiative, told Arab News that AI has provided a pathway to revolutionize our understanding and interpretation of Earth systems, ushering in an era where data can be rapidly channeled to provide new knowledge and actionable insights.”While GenAI has already impacted greatly on a number of domains, its application in the Earth and environmental sciences remains emerging,” McCabe said.The center’s research focuses on developing AI tools for satellite imaging and Earth observation, enabling better monitoring of ecosystems. This includes using drones and satellite-based remote sensing technologies to track environmental changes in real-time.Drones and satellite systems provide high-resolution data that is crucial for understanding ecological shifts in regions that were previously difficult to study.This allows for more effective land management, ecosystem restoration, and better predictions regarding weather patterns.”We will be using remote sensing and other data sources to undertake ecosystem monitoring, helping to advance some of the goals and objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative,” McCabe said.