Strategic Plan

Executive Summary

The NSF AI Institute for Research on Trustworthy AI in Weather, Climate, and Coastal Oceanography (AI2ES) is a convergent center that creates trustworthy AI for environmental science (ES), revolutionizes prediction and understanding of high- impact weather and ocean hazards, and benefits society by protecting lives and property. Leading experts from AI, atmospheric and ocean science, risk communication (RC), and education, work synergistically to develop and test trustworthy AI methods that transform our understanding and prediction of the environment. Trust is a social phenomenon, and our integration of risk communication research across AI2ES activities provides an empirical foundation for developing user-informed, trustworthy AI by engaging and partnering with key environmental decision makers from communities that will be using the techniques developed. Our partnership of multiple academic institutions, NCAR, NOAA, and private industry spans the full cycle of fundamental research into trustworthy AI and enables rapid integration of trustworthy AI for increased societal impact. Environmental science provides a perfect testbed to advance trustworthy AI given its grounding in nature’s physical laws and conservation principles as well as the broad range of stakeholder feedback and high societal impact.

AI2ES broadening participation and workforce development activities fully integrate with AI2ES research on trustworthy AI, environmental science and risk communication. In coordination with two Hispanic (HSI) and Minority Serving (MSI) institutions, we have created and pilot tested a novel community college certificate in AI for the environmental sciences and pilot. This certificate will significantly enhance the diversity of the STEM workforce. AI2ES has also developed AI/ES training for all levels of students, including K-12 outreach and modules, and online education modules that leverage our private industry’s existing educational resources and networks. By leveraging private industry and existing successful internship programs for under-represented minority (URM) students, AI2ES has created a pipeline for URM students to gain valuable experience in AI/ES.

The full plan is available here (note that blue text is changed for 2024-2025) .