DeepSeek in running to power China weather agency's forecasts, observations

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By Mary Hui 

China’s state weather agency is considering using DeepSeek, the local startup whose artificial intelligence model shook global markets last month, to power its forecasts and observations. 

The China Meteorological Administration discussed “promoting the in-depth integration and application of DeepSeek” and “continuously improving the AI meteorological model” in a Feb. 14 meeting attended by the agency’s chief engineer, Pan Jinjun.

 

DeepSeek has demonstrated a breakthrough lower-cost AI model that is seen as being competitive with those of OpenAI and Meta Platforms Inc. However, some have questioned the Chinese startup’s numbers. High-Flyer, the quant hedge fund that developed DeepSeek, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

 

China has ambitions to be a “weather superpower,” and wants to close the technological gap with leading meteorological powerhouses like the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Integrating AI into the government’s meteorological work is seen as a key step in that direction, according to official long-term weather sector development plans issued by key entities including the State Council, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the CMA.

 

The agency’s push to leverage AI in its work is gathering pace. In October, it issued draft legislation on the use of AI in weather-related services, touching on regulatory issues including data security and algorithm reviews. And last summer, it established an institute in Hebei province to drive weather AI innovation.

 

The CMA’s enthusiasm for DeepSeek comes as Beijing appears to be embracing its domestic tech companies once more, more than four years since the central government’s crackdown on the tech giants began in late 2020. The Hang Seng Tech Index is up some 25 per cent since the beginning of the year.