On Thin Ice: Arctic AI Model Predicts Sea Ice Loss

Promising more accurate predictions in an era of rapid climate change, a new tool is harnessing deep learning to help better forecast Arctic sea ice conditions months into the future. As described in a paper published in the science journal Nature Communications Thursday, the new AI tool, dubbed IceNet, could lead to improved early-warning systems to protect Arctic wildlife and coastal communities. Created by an international team of researchers led by the British Antarctic Survey and the Alan Turing Institute, IceNet tackles a challenge that has long vexed scientists. "The Arctic is a region on the frontline of climate change and has seen substantial warming over the last 40 years," explained lead author Tom Andersson, a data scientist at the BAS AI Lab, in a statement. "IceNet has the potential to fill an urgent gap in forecasting sea ice for Arctic sustainability efforts and runs thousands of times faster than traditional methods," he added.