Jerry Petersen
Erin O’Brien Hawley believes military-grade artificial intelligence can be used for disaster response, including combating wildfires like those affecting communities in California.
Use of AI During Hurricane Season
Hawley, who serves as chief revenue officer of technology company Primer, said in a column posted Thursday on Defense Opinion that military AI had already been used in the East Coast during the hurricane season of 2024, where the U.S. Army repurposed AI tools typically used to accelerate decision-making in the battlefield to instead process in real-time various data points like road closures and cellular outages, thereby supporting disaster management.
The same technology could be used to process other types of data, including weather updates, satellite imagery, social media and news reports, allowing authorities to deploy more quickly and accurately to affected areas.
Using AI Before & After Disasters
The PrimerAI executive noted that as AI advances, it could also be used to bolster disaster preparedness by enhancing early warning systems and informing authorities about vulnerabilities, making it possible to plan for resilient infrastructure, measures that would prevent disasters like forest fires, evacuation plans and sustainable recovery initiatives.
And following a disaster, AI can be used to analyze imagery and assess damage, thereby helping with the prioritization of resource allocation.
AI Not a Silver Bullet
“AI isn’t a silver bullet, but it is a vital resource that can help protect neighborhoods, preserve natural landscapes and safeguard the people who call California home. By examining what worked on the East Coast, we can build a smarter, faster and more effective wildfire response system,” Hawley said.
