China unveiled the upgraded MAZU AI weather warning system at WAIC 2026, offering AI-powered early warning services to more than 40 national meteorological agencies worldwide.
The 2026 World AI Conference (WAIC) and the High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance opened in Shanghai on July 17th.
As climate change fuels more frequent and intense extreme weather events worldwide, AI is increasingly being used to improve disaster preparedness and early warning.
Against this backdrop, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) announced that the “Djibouti 2.0” edition of China’s MAZU meteorological early-warning solution will be officially delivered during the meteorological forum at WAIC 2026.
The upgraded package features a meteorological chip integrating nowcasting algorithms with artificial intelligence forecasting models, enabling automated monitoring of extreme weather and providing advance warnings of potentially hazardous weather events.
MAZU—short for Multi-hazard, Alert, Zero Gap and Universal—is China’s cloud-based AI early warning platform. It is designed to deliver timely weather and climate services while supporting multi-hazard risk reduction across regions.
Why the Name “MAZU”?
Beyond serving as an acronym, the platform’s name also pays tribute to Mazu, the revered sea goddess in Chinese coastal culture.
According to Chinese folklore, Mazu is a legendary young woman from China’s southeastern coast who was believed to possess exceptional knowledge of astronomy and weather. She is said to have guided fishermen and merchant vessels safely through storms and rescued people in distress at sea. Over time, Mazu became widely revered as a guardian of the seas and a protector against weather-related disasters.
The name also carries symbolic significance. Mazu’s traditional birthday falls on March 23rd, the same date as World Meteorological Day.
In Chinese mythology, Mazu is accompanied by two attendants—Qianliyan (Thousand-Mile Eye) and Shunfenger (Wind-Following Ear)—who are said to see and hear events over great distances. The CMA likens today’s meteorological satellites, weather radars, numerical weather prediction systems and AI models to these modern-day “Thousand-Mile Eye” and “Wind-Following Ear.”
Expanding International Cooperation
More than 40 national meteorological services currently access the MAZU AI early-warning platform through the cloud. The platform can be rapidly adapted to different national needs, integrating satellite observations, AI forecasting and early warning services into a single system.
“As long as there is an internet connection, the information can be accessed from any city or region,” said Bazar Cheema, an expert with the Pakistan Meteorological Department.
Recognising that countries face different weather and climate challenges, the CMA has also developed localised versions of MAZU tailored to their specific national needs.
Customised editions have already been deployed in Pakistan, Ethiopia, the Solomon Islands, Jordan, Sri Lanka, Mongolia and Djibouti.
According to the CMA, the next phase of development will focus on providing more flexible customisation services. Through the platform, users will be able to select the products they need from a digital menu, automatically generate service requests, and submit them directly to the relevant CMA departments with a single click.
Zhang Xingying, Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation at the CMA, said meteorological disaster prevention and mitigation are among the public services that bring the broadest benefits to people’s well-being.
“Through cooperation in these livelihood-related fields, I have seen the enormous potential for collaboration among countries, as well as the simplest and most genuine expression of goodwill,” Zhang said.
Written by Sha Liu, additional reporting by Ecns.cn, The China Meteorological News.
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