15:45 - 17:00 (14:45 - 16:00 UTC) • 6. Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for the Future of Training and Capacity Development

Recording: https://wmo-int.zoom.us/rec/share/YR8uZbHSMwxifG5yPKoWu6JaLjqDe5hpRBMpYcNN51f2a1GInRtMrqL05lonWfs3.a8Zc_8Ebz9EQwniS

Please start watching at 2:51:00 for this session!

15:45 - 17:00   (14:45 - 16:00 UTC) Agenda Item 6. Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for the Future of Training and Capacity Development – Virtual Round Table Facilitated by WMO Secretariat

Keynote: 
Dr. Véronique Bouchet, Senior Director for Science and Innovation Department at WMO, where she oversees both WMO’s research programmes and the Education and Training Programme. Before joining WMO, she was Director-General of the Canadian Centre for Meteorological and Environmental Prediction, leading scientific innovation, numerical prediction operations, and forecaster training. Since 2009, she has also held several international leadership roles, including chairing the Task Team on AI for Numerical Weather Prediction (slides setting the scene for this virtual round table discussion are available below).

Panelists:

• Dr. Otmane Cherif Abdelillah, Professor from IHFR in Oran, which is the WMO RTC in Algeria.
• Heleen ter Pelkwijk, the EUMETCAL Programme Manager and former training coordinator at KNMI.
• Tsvetomir Ross-Lazarov, Senior Educational Designer with the COMET and EUMETCAL Programmes.
• Richard Mahendra Putra, meteorologist with the Aviation Meteorology Division at BMKG, another WMO RTC in Indonesia.
• Eunha Lim, Scientific Officer, my dear colleague from WMO Infrastructure Department.

A brief synthesis of what has emerged:

1. AI integration is already underway, but unevenly distributed.

We’ve seen practical examples from Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia and the Secretariat.

Members are experimenting with AI in:

• instructional design,
• self-paced modules,
• simulations,
• satellite interpretation,
• and global prediction systems.

These are promising efforts — and they are advancing quickly.

2. However, significant gaps remain.

We heard the need for:

• instructor readiness and digital confidence,
• ethical and transparent use of AI tools,
• shared access to infrastructure,
• time and resources for content development,
• and equitable availability of learning opportunities.

AI introduces new benefits, but also new vulnerabilities.

3. Collaboration is the accelerator.

A clear message emerged:

we can go faster — and further — together.

We heard examples of:

• collaborative hackathons,
• learning experiment labs,
• shared module development,
• co-created resources,
• and stronger regional networks.

And importantly — AI can accelerate collaboration itself.

4. Pathways for CONECT and WMO:

A few ideas stood out:

• integrate AI topics into future CONECT meetings on a regular basis
• launch regional or global pilot initiatives
• share AI tools and templates across Members
• embed AI competencies into WMO frameworks
• connect directly with technical commissions and the Research Board