Mastodawn

Machine Learning techniques are upending multiple scientific fields. Operational 5-day forecasting of air quality in 1 minute in this paper from Chinese researchers.

This is awesome work with very clear public health implications.

EDIT for clarity: I am.not suggesting LLMs have anything to do with this work, but many people hear AI and imagine LLMs. And many of them.are perhaps rightly sceptical of AI as a result.
But AI or ML techniques can be useful for lots of things, not just chatbots. And we should probably invest more in those.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10234-y

Advancing operational global aerosol forecasting with machine learning - Nature

Reliable 5-day, 3-hourly forecasts of aerosol optical components and surface concentrations are obtained in 1 minute using a machine-learning-driven forecasting system.

Nature

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JWcph, Radicalized By Decency Mar 9

@Ruth_Mottram - but also a good example of why we need do un-conflate SlopAI, like the kind They™️ want to make billions on while disenfranchising us all, from actual, useful computer tools which may or may not be based on the same underlying technology and/or science.

They try to ride the hype wave where I work, too, but if your area is expertise & your tools are expert systems, this conflation is about as useful as marketing microwave TV dinners when you're a chef.

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Ruth Mottram Mar 9

@jwcph hah yes, that's a nice analogy, and that's exactly why I posted. The fediverse doesn't have nearly enough positive stories around the application of AI/ML* tools and Europe seriously risks being left behind as a result.

*In principle I think I prefer Machine Learning as a terminology, but I'm not against AI if it is strictly defined as on wikipedia: "Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of research in computer science that develops and studies methods and software that enable machines to perceive their environment and use learning and intelligence to take actions that maximize their chances of achieving defined goals"

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JWcph, Radicalized By Decency

@Ruth_Mottram I'm not super-worried; I think useful applications are pursued with appropriate vigor regardless of the hype cycle. The effort could use more money but those projects aren't getting it now either...

I prefer to stay away from anthropomorfisms entirely; computers don't learn & are not intelligent. It's called programming, algorithms etc. Perception, decision, intent, goals... none of that exists in The Machine; it's all simulation at best & we have no path to the real thing.