Scientific AI: Transforming Weather Forecasting and Accelerating Research

Within three seconds, the 4.5‑billion‑parameter FuXi weather model can forecast global weather for the next 15 days, illustrating the transformative impact of combining artificial intelligence with scientific research.

At the 2023 INCLUSION·Bund Conference on September 7, Chinese Academy of Sciences academician and Fudan University vice‑president Zhang Renhe highlighted that "AI for Science" has become the hottest topic in the technology community.

He emphasized that scientific AI is a key driver for changing research paradigms and generating original technological breakthroughs, offering immense potential to ignite industrial innovation.

Internationally, the United States is accelerating its AI‑for‑Science agenda; in May 2023 the Department of Energy released a report stating that AI will underpin advances in science, energy, and security, prompting extensive policy support.

Elon Musk’s newly founded company xAI aims to tackle deep scientific questions, hoping AI will help solve complex scientific and mathematical problems and ultimately "understand" the universe.

Leading universities such as Stanford and MIT, together with tech giants like Google and Meta, are launching systematic research programs, turning AI for Science from isolated experiments into a broad consensus across academia and industry.

Domestically, China’s scientific AI is also advancing rapidly, with many large‑scale scientific models emerging, though the field remains in its early stages. Zhang stressed that solitary efforts no longer suit the era of big science; organized, platform‑based research is essential.

Fudan University has made notable progress, undertaking two city‑level major projects—"Frontier Theoretical Foundations and Key Technologies of AI" and "Brain‑Inspired Intelligence Research"—which include the nation’s first full‑brain computing platform and numerous high‑impact publications.