MojiWeather deploys AI to boost forecast precision

Chinese meteorological service provider Beijing MojiFengYun Technology Co Ltd, or MojiWeather, has launched a major upgrade to its meteorological service matrix to help enhance global forecasting precision by utilizing artificial intelligence technology.

Founded in 2010, the weather service platform said it would continue to strengthen the exploration and application of AI with meteorological data. With the frequent occurrence of extreme weather and urban residents' accelerated pace of life, consumers are demanding more precise and scenario-based weather forecasting to optimize their travel, health and work schedules, and other life decisions.

The traditional weather forecast model can no longer meet consumer demand for information such as when it will rain, how heavy the rain will be and how to respond, resulting in a gap between information value and schedule arrangements of consumers, the company said.

"Whether it is the precise planning of commuting time by urban white-collar employees, or the early avoidance of operational risks by outdoor workers, they have put forward higher requirements for precise meteorological services," said Jin Li, CEO of MojiWeather.

Targeting over 20 outdoor scenarios such as running, cycling, fishing and daily life scenarios — such as washing cars — the "AI life index" can achieve precise analysis of weather information by every one kilometer and one hour as it integrates multi-source data, the company said.

Besides consumers, MojiWeather also provides solutions for multiple industries. For instance, the aviation industry has been one of the most severely affected sectors by weather conditions.

MojiWeather has been collaborating with Tibet Airlines, a regional carrier based in Lhasa, Xizang autonomous region, and overcoming the challenges brought by sudden weather changes at ultra-high-altitude airports. For such airports, the flight diversion rate because of weather conditions can be as high as 46 percent.

MojiWeather has launched a new aviation meteorological service platform named AeroMetis, and the platform has achieved minute-level thunderstorm forecasts at Lhasa Gonggar International Airport. The forecasts are expected to help the carrier lower its flight diversion rate due to thunderstorms by 5 percent. The platform has also provided services to some other domestic carriers.

Shanghai-based private carrier Juneyao Air said AeroMetis could provide a basis for airlines to make decisions about flight operations.

"It serves like a compass, guiding the direction of an airline's operational decisions, and helping airlines to improve safety and efficiencies," said Wang Liuran, meteorological manager of the operations control department of Juneyao Air.

In addition, MojiWeather said it has launched customized meteorological services for other sectors such as insurance, highways, food delivery and urban management.

Meanwhile, with a huge demand for meteorological services globally, the company plans to further expand its presence overseas. It has launched multilingual services in more than 30 countries, including English, French and Spanish, and has attracted the first batch of member users in the United States, and some European and Asian countries.

"In some countries, many meteorological service companies' revenue from membership subscriptions has surpassed the advertising revenues, as many foreign consumers strongly agree with the concept of paid memberships," Jin said.

The company's overseas peers include AccuWeather in the US and Weathernews Inc in Japan.