#054 - Future AI Weather & Climate Forecasting with Professor Kirstine Dale

AI machine learning models are not just a little bit faster than traditional weather forecasting - they're tens of thousands of times faster. But speed alone isn't enough when lives depend on the forecast.In this episode of GAEA Talks, Professor Kirstine Dale, the Met Office's Chief AI Officer and Principal Fellow for Data Science, joins Graeme Scott to explore how AI is driving a paradigm shift in how we understand and predict the weather. From the physics-based numerical weather prediction models that have served us since 1952, to the graph neural network models being co-developed with The Alan Turing Institute, Kirstine explains why the future lies in a blended approach - and why understanding the physics still matters when you're deciding whether it's safe to open a runway at Heathrow.The conversation goes far beyond forecasting. Kirstine and Graeme dig into how climate change is reshaping global supply chains, why machine learning models struggle with "grey swan" events, and how urbanisation is fundamentally changing the impact weather has on the ground. They also tackle the critical issue of diversity in AI and data science - with only 20% of the workforce being women, a figure that hasn't shifted in four years - and why a richer, more inclusive approach isn't just ethical, it's essential for innovation and avoiding dangerous bias in the models shaping our future.Whether you're interested in how AI could one day run a hyperlocal weather forecast on your phone, or why designing seatbelts around one physiology puts others at risk, this episode connects the science to the real world in ways you won't expect.About the Guest:Professor Kirstine Dale BSc MBA MRes MA PhD is the Met Office's Chief AI Officer (CAIO) and Principal Fellow for Data Science. She leads the embedding of AI across all Met Office functions, from foundational climate science to customer-facing products and services. Kirstine holds an Honorary Professorship at the University of Exeter, co-leads the development of the Fastnet weather prediction model with The Alan Turing Institute, and launched the Met Office's 'AI4Everyone' programme. She is a passionate advocate for diversity in STEM and AI, championing inclusive workforces as the key to solving society's greatest challenges.