Nvidia AI has introduced three new open-source artificial intelligence models designed to improve the speed and accuracy of weather forecasting.

On Monday, the company announced the release at the American Meteorological Society’s annual meeting in Houston. The move is part of Nvidia’s broader effort to expand its open-source software ecosystem and support scientific and commercial research.

In particular, Nvidia AI is focused on replacing traditional weather simulations that are often expensive and time-consuming. These conventional methods rely on complex computing systems and long processing times. In contrast, the new AI-driven models are trained to deliver comparable, and in some cases higher, accuracy at lower cost.

Moreover, once trained, the models can run significantly faster than conventional systems. According to Nvidia, they can operate up to 1,000 times faster. As a result, organizations can process much larger datasets in shorter timeframes.

Mike Pritchard, director of climate simulation research at Nvidia and professor of earth system sciences at the University of California, Irvine, explained that the models have strong commercial potential. He noted that the insurance sector is one of the key beneficiaries.

Insurance companies often need detailed insights into extreme weather events. These include floods, hurricanes, and other high-impact scenarios. However, forecasting such events traditionally requires running large “ensembles,” or groups of multiple simulations, which is both slow and costly.

Previously, each ensemble member had to be calculated in high detail. This process limited the number of scenarios that could be tested. Consequently, identifying rare but damaging events was challenging.

Now, AI-based models reduce these limitations. Pritchard said that the speed of Nvidia AI allows companies to run massive ensembles. Some insurers are already using simulations with up to 10,000 members.

Meanwhile, Nvidia also unveiled its new “Earth-2” models as part of the launch. One model focuses on 15-day weather forecasts. Another specializes in short-term predictions of up to six hours for severe storms in the United States. A third model integrates data from multiple weather sensors to improve forecasting accuracy.

Furthermore, the integrated system helps create more reliable starting points for other weather prediction technologies. This supports better coordination between data sources and modeling platforms.

Overall, the company believes these tools will help researchers, businesses, and public agencies improve preparedness and decision-making. By combining open-source development with advanced computing, Nvidia AI aims to reshape how weather risks are analyzed and managed.

In the long term, Nvidia AI expects its technology to support faster forecasting, lower operational costs, and wider access to climate data for industries such as insurance, energy, and infrastructure planning.

Source: Reuters

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