The Graphic Truth: High drama at the UN General Assembly

Artificial intelligence is transforming one of humanity's oldest challenges: predicting the weather.

Speaking at the 2026 AI for Good Global Summit, World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Celeste Saulo explains how AI has dramatically accelerated weather forecasting. Tasks that once required a week of computing can now generate multi-day forecasts in just minutes, making advanced forecasting faster, more accessible, and increasingly available beyond the world's largest supercomputers.

UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock says those advances could have life-saving consequences. Better forecasting allows governments and humanitarian organizations to evacuate vulnerable communities before disasters strike, reducing both human and economic costs.

Together, they argue that realizing AI's full potential will require continued collaboration among governments, scientists, and the private sector to ensure these technologies reach countries that need them most.