As Typhoon Bavi approaches, Chinese state media have warned that amateur bloggers posting AI-based typhoon predictions may be breaking the law.
China Media Group reported that some weather enthusiasts have been posting typhoon predictions on Chinese social platforms. Some have even begun offering predictions for specific locations for a fee.
Under the Meteorology Law of the People’s Republic of China, public weather alerts are subject to a centralised release system. Official meteorological stations are the only authorised issuers of forecasts and severe weather warnings.
Huang Xiang, a researcher at Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, explained to the broadcaster that the centralised system was vital to prevent public confusion.
Typhoon Bavi is currently nearing China’s eastern coastal areas.