The 2026 World AI Conference (WAIC) and the High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance will open in Shanghai on July 17, as China’s meteorological sector accelerates the use of artificial intelligence to strengthen early warning and expand international public services.

According to the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), a "Djibouti 2.0" version of China’s MAZU meteorological early-warning solution will be delivered on site at the meteorology forum of the WAIC 2026. The upgraded package includes a meteorological chip that integrates short-term nowcasting algorithms and AI forecasting models, enabling autonomous monitoring of extreme weather and near-disaster early warnings.

MAZU, an acronym for Multi-hazard, Alert, Zero-gap and Universal, is China's cloud-based AI early-warning solution. It aims to provide timely and convenient weather and climate services while supporting multi-hazard risk reduction across regions.

The CMA said that meteorological agencies have already used the platform in more than 40 countries via cloud access. Customized versions have been deployed in seven countries—including Pakistan, Ethiopia, the Solomon Islands, Jordan, Sri Lanka, Mongolia and Djibouti—to meet local needs ranging from monitoring and forecasting to warning production and information dissemination.

The CMA said that the next step is to enable more flexible customization for different users, adding that AI is becoming a key engine for enhancing disaster prevention and mitigation, as early-warning products expand from conventional forecasting toward impact-oriented services.

“Climate change is a common challenge facing all humanity,” said Chen Zhenlin, head of the China Meteorological Administration, noting that early warning is a cost-effective measure that can deliver quick results and is crucial for protecting lives and property.

With global AI governance high on the agenda at WAIC 2026, China's meteorological authorities said MAZU and related AI applications will continue to be improved and shared to better support countries facing extreme weather and climate risks.