Google DeepMind Introduces WeatherNext 2 for Faster, More Accurate Forecasts

Listen to This Article

WeatherNext 2, a revolutionary new AI, is now powering Google Search & Maps. See why it changes everything!

Planning your week? Trading billions in energy? Google DeepMind just unveiled WeatherNext 2, and it's poised to revolutionize how we see the future, at least for the next 15 days.

This isn't just another weather update. It's a powerhouse AI model that does something radically new: instead of one single forecast, WeatherNext 2 generates hundreds of possible weather scenarios in under 60 seconds on a single chip. Traditional supercomputer models would need hours for a similar feat. 

So, What's the Secret?

The new model, developed by Google DeepMind and Google Research, is 8 times faster than its predecessor and boasts higher-resolution forecasts down to the hour. It's also more accurate, beating the previous best on 99.9% of variables like temperature, wind, and humidity.

The magic is a new AI technique called a Functional Generative Network (FGN). In simple terms:

• Old Way: Build a massive, complex simulation of the entire Earth's physics. (Slow, expensive).
• New Way: Train the AI on individual weather ingredients (marginals) like temperature at one spot or wind speed at another. The AI then learns how these pieces fit together to form massive, complex systems (joints) like storm fronts and heat waves.

By adding a bit of noise or randomness, the FGN can spit out hundreds of different, physically realistic futures, giving forecasters a true sense of possibilities, from the most likely outcome to low-probability, catastrophic events.

A Revolution for Industry

This is great for weather-dependent industries. For energy traders, this is a revolution. The ability to get hyper-accurate, probabilistic forecasts for wind (powering wind farms) and temperature (driving energy demand) allows them to optimize bids and manage grid stability with unprecedented precision.

But the impact doesn't stop there. Aviation, agriculture, logistics, and disaster management are all set to benefit from faster, more nuanced predictions. Researchers and businesses can already tap into the data through Google's Earth Engine, BigQuery, and a new early access program on Vertex AI.

Better Forecasts for You, Right Now

Here’s the best part for the rest of us: this technology is already being rolled out.

The smarter forecasts from WeatherNext 2 are already upgrading the weather you see in Google Search, Google Maps, Pixel Weather, and Gemini. This means the forecast on your phone is getting more accurate, more detailed, and better at telling you the full story of what the weather might do!