Currently, with the intensification of climate change and frequent occurrence of extreme weather, how to prevent and reduce disasters is a common challenge facing humanity. At the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High Level Conference on Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence held in Shanghai recently, the Chinese meteorological intelligent solution "Mazu" received widespread attention. This Chinese solution that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) technology is crossing mountains and seas and landing in multiple countries, jointly guarding the lights of thousands of homes.
Provide customized services tailored to local conditions
The four letters of the English name "Mazu" represent multiple disaster types, early warning, zero gap, and universal benefit. According to the China Meteorological Administration, meteorological departments in more than 40 countries have used the "Mazu" early warning service product through the cloud, and customized versions of the product have also been implemented in 7 countries including Pakistan, Ethiopia, and Solomon Islands, demonstrating effectiveness in disaster prevention, reduction, and major event support.
In recent heavy rainfall weather, 'Mazu' has successfully provided early warning and effectively enhanced the emergency preparedness capabilities of relevant departments, "Faruh Bashir, Director of the Research and Development Department of the Pakistan Meteorological Agency, told Xinhua News Agency. Currently, Pakistan is committed to integrating more local information such as glacial lake outburst flood data into the system.
During the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference, Samplis Chinda Tazo, Director of Cameroon's National Meteorological Agency, told Xinhua News Agency that early warning is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce disaster losses. Many African and South Asian countries have sparse meteorological observation networks and limited computing power. Mazu can be used through the cloud, effectively reducing the threshold for use, and the solution can be customized according to local conditions. This is crucial because the disaster characteristics faced by different countries are not the same.
Jordanian Chamber of Commerce's representative in the communication and information technology industry, Haisam Ravajbe, said that Jordan received a customized version of the "Mazu" plan several months ago, which allows experts to compare the output results of multiple weather models and use satellite data and AI models to assess the meteorological risks faced by Jordan, such as flash floods, heat waves, cold waves, droughts, and sandstorms. This helps to detect danger signals early, identify the most vulnerable areas, and improve the timeliness of sending warnings and information to relevant departments
Integrating talent cultivation throughout the entire process
In addition to meteorological intelligent warning, the "Mazu" plan also takes into account long-term capacity building, providing services such as disaster prevention and reduction experience sharing, professional talent training, etc., to comprehensively assist developing countries in enhancing their independent disaster prevention capabilities.
The relevant cooperation is not just about providing Jordan with ready-made platforms or technological software, but is committed to building partnerships, including customizing plans based on local meteorological risks and needs, exchanging knowledge and professional skills, and training observation, forecasting, and early warning personnel, "said Haisam Rawajebe." China invites experts from partner countries to visit China and sends Chinese experts to these countries to help institutions establish independent response capabilities, rather than relying on external assistance
'Mazu' is a complete, inclusive, and respectful public meteorological solution that respects the sovereignty of all countries, "said Chao Lumumbaatar, Vice President of the Mongolian University of Science and Technology. The solution is not simply about delivering technical software and hardware, but rather integrating talent cultivation throughout the entire process.
During the local deployment of the plan in Mongolia, the Chinese technical team went to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, to conduct multiple rounds of offline practical training, and continued to offer online training courses to guide Mongolian forecasters in mastering AI model operation and disaster situation analysis. At the same time, China supports Mongolian meteorological technicians to visit China for exchange and continues to establish a normalized technical exchange mechanism.
'Mazu' is an important example of technological innovation directly serving sustainable development, enhancing disaster resilience, and promoting international solidarity and cooperation. Danimir Mandic, director of the Serbian Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Education Center, believes that China's technological advantages combined with local knowledge, data, and talent cultivation, continuously improving local scientific research, technological innovation, and operational management capabilities, is the 'most sustainable cooperation model'.
The cooperation model that the world needs
The "Mazu" program integrates artificial intelligence technology and shares China's scientific and technological practices and solutions through international cooperation, helping developing countries improve their disaster warning capabilities while bridging the digital divide, and gaining unanimous recognition from the United Nations, the World Meteorological Organization, and international partners.
UN Secretary General Guterres stated at the 2026 World Conference on Artificial Intelligence that implementing the UN's universal early warning initiative requires a qualitative leap in international cooperation, and "Mazu" can become one of the "most important tools" to promote relevant international cooperation.
Guterres said that as an important partner of the United Nations' National Early Warning Initiative, China's platforms, satellites, and AI models have helped dozens of countries strengthen their early warning systems. China and other developing country partners jointly develop meteorological warning tools and rely on local data to enable countries to independently release warning information. This is exactly the cooperation model that the world needs, which is to help countries protect their people through technology transfer, joint research, and local capacity building
Aruna Ndam Enchoya, a professor at the University of Angong Daire in Cameroon who is engaged in research in the field of artificial intelligence, said that programs such as "Mazu" have lowered the threshold for using AI by providing cloud platforms, open source tools, and training to developing countries, allowing technologies that were previously only affordable to large technology companies to benefit more countries.
In the view of Professor Walda Aslam from the School of Computing and Artificial Intelligence at Islamabad Air Force University in Pakistan, Chinese initiatives such as "Mazu" are vivid examples of China's efforts to promote AI as an international public good. In response to the shortcomings of disaster prevention and early warning in countries in the global South, China shares AI based early warning technology to help relevant countries bridge the technological gap, enhance disaster prevention, emergency response, and long-term climate adaptation capabilities.
This cooperation model helps more countries, especially developing countries, share the dividends of AI development, providing strong support for bridging the global digital divide and promoting inclusive and sustainable development. ”She said.