Cuts at NOAA lead to new weather balloon technology at NOAA
WindBorne, founded in 2019 by a team of Stanford graduates, can provide valuable weather balloon data for a fraction of the cost by keeping the balloons in the sky for weeks using a combination of off-the-shelf computer parts and novel software. Traditional weather balloons operated by NOAA are only used for a single day before they pop and return to Earth.
The move comes after Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency pushed for a roughly 25% reduction in the agency's budget, forcing staff cuts and a shutdown of programs.
The agency is the primary source of weather forecasting for everything from emergency services to the Apple Weather app. Weather balloons play a crucial role in forecasting, collecting data for prediction models that can't be gathered from the ground or space.
Since March, NOAA has been slashing the number of daily weather balloon flights that go up daily from multiple locations, leading to reductions in forecasting capabilities.
WindBorne, which says it operates the largest fleet of deployed weather balloons in the world, was already providing data to NOAA. But John Dean, co-founder and CEO of WindBorne, told Semafor the agency had been hesitant under previous administration to expand its partnership, despite the possibility of cutting costs.
WindBorne's balloons have a higher initial cost than NOAA's, but because they stay up in the air much longer, they can gather data at a lower overall cost.
The balloons are equipped with satellite connectivity. Tiny motors control the contents of a small bag of sand used for ballast on the balloon. Once up in the air, the balloon can release sand to control its elevation and enter different wind currents. Artificial intelligence figures out how to use elevation to steer over specific locations where data is needed.
The result is an AI-powered weather prediction model that is currently among the best in the world. The company plans to ultimately have 10,000 balloons in the air at any given time, allowing it to cover the entire planet.
Currently, the data gathered by its 50 to 60 balloons in the air is bought by traders sweeping up data that might affect the prices of energy and other commodities.
In this case, Musk's DOGE may be delivering on its stated promise, as the budget cuts at NOAA may end up improving the agency's ability to predict the weather.
Dean told me that NOAA went from a hands-off approach to the private sector under the Biden administration to one that is eager for partnerships. While he called some of the DOGE cuts 'reckless,' he said the end result in this case may actually be a positive. 'It's created chaos that, long term, will probably get us more data,' he said.
In everything from the military to NOAA, the government's contracting with the private sector is broken, captive to the small set of contractors who have turned winning and keeping government contracts into its own sector of the economy. The WindBorne deal puts NOAA into more direct contact with Silicon Valley's innovative startups.
The media, meanwhile, has found immediate harm done by some of Trump's dramatic cuts, particularly cuts to aid programs unpopular with the MAGA base. But we should keep an eye out for places where Musk's thesis — that things can be done far better and more cheaply with technology — is justified.
Experts told PBS News that the NOAA cuts could be disastrous for public safety:
One area where NOAA has aggressively cut is climate research, a move that seems to have been driven by politics more than government efficiency, Bloomberg reports.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
an hour ago
From tech podcasts to policy: Trump's new AI plan leans heavily on Silicon Valley industry ideas
An artificial intelligence agenda that started coalescing on the podcasts of Silicon Valley billionaires is now being forged into U.S. policy as President Donald Trump leans on the ideas of the tech figures who backed his election campaign. Trump on Wednesday is planning to reveal an 'AI Action Plan' he ordered after returning to the White House in January. He gave his tech advisers six months to come up with new AI policies after revoking President Joe Biden's signature AI guardrails on his first day in office. The unveiling is co-hosted by the bipartisan Hill and Valley Forum and the All-In Podcast, a business and technology show hosted by four tech investors and entrepreneurs who include Trump's AI czar, David Sacks. The plan and related executive orders are expected to include some familiar tech lobby pitches. That includes accelerating the sale of AI technology abroad and making it easier to construct the energy-hungry data center buildings that are needed to form and run AI products, according to a person briefed on Wednesday's event who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. It might also include some of the AI culture war preoccupations of the circle of venture capitalists who endorsed Trump last year. Countering the liberal bias they see in AI chatbots such as ChatGPT or Google's Gemini has long been a rallying point for the tech industry's loudest Trump backers. Sacks, a former PayPal executive and now Trump's top AI adviser, has been criticizing 'woke AI' for more than a year, fueled by Google's February 2024 rollout of an AI image generator that, when asked to show an American Founding Father, created pictures of Black, Latino and Native American men. 'The AI's incapable of giving you accurate answers because it's been so programmed with diversity and inclusion,' Sacks said at the time. Google quickly fixed its tool, but the 'Black George Washington' moment remained a parable for the problem of AI's perceived political bias, taken up by X owner Elon Musk, venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, Vice President JD Vance and Republican lawmakers. The administration's latest push against 'woke AI' comes a week after the Pentagon announced new $200 million contracts with four leading AI companies, including Google, to address 'critical national security challenges.' Also receiving one of the contracts was Musk's xAI, which has been pitched as an alternative to 'woke AI' companies. The company has faced its own challenges: Earlier this month, xAI had to scramble to remove posts made by its Grok chatbot that made antisemitic comments and praised Adolf Hitler. Trump has paired AI's need for huge amounts of electricity with his own push to tap into U.S. energy sources, including gas, coal and nuclear. 'Everything we aspire to and hope for means the demand and supply of energy in America has to go up,' said Michael Kratsios, the director of the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy, in a video posted Tuesday. Many tech giants are already well on their way toward building new data centers in the U.S. and around the world. OpenAI announced this week that it has switched on the first phase of a massive data center complex in Abilene, Texas, part of an Oracle-backed project known as Stargate that Trump promoted earlier this year. Amazon, Microsoft, Meta and xAI also have major projects underway. The tech industry has pushed for easier permitting rules to get their computing facilities connected to power, but the AI building boom has also contributed to spiking demand for fossil fuel production that will contribute to global warming. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called on the world's major tech firms to power data centers completely with renewables by 2030. 'A typical AI data center eats up as much electricity as 100,000 homes,' Guterres said. 'By 2030, data centers could consume as much electricity as all of Japan does today.' It's long been White House policy under Republican and Democratic administrations to curtail certain technology exports to China and other adversaries on national security grounds. But much of the tech industry argued that Biden went too far at the end of his term in trying to restrict the exports of specialized AI computer chips to more than 100 other countries, including close allies. Part of the Biden administration's motivation was to stop China from acquiring coveted AI chips in third-party locations such as Southeast Asia or the Middle East, but critics said the measures would end up encouraging more countries to turn to China's fast-growing AI industry instead of the U.S. as their technology supplier. It remains to be seen how the Trump administration aims to accelerate the export of U.S.-made AI technologies while countering China's AI ambitions. California chipmakers Nvidia and AMD both announced last week that they won approval from the Trump administration to sell to China some of their advanced computer chips used to develop artificial intelligence. AMD CEO Lisa Su is among the guests planning to attend Trump's event Wednesday. There are sharp debates on how to regulate AI, even among the influential venture capitalists who have been debating it on their favorite medium: the podcast. While some Trump backers, particularly Andreessen, have advocated an 'accelerationist' approach that aims to speed up AI advancement with minimal regulation, Sacks has described himself as taking a middle road of techno-realism. 'Technology is going to happen. Trying to stop it is like ordering the tides to stop. If we don't do it, somebody else will,' Sacks said on the All-In podcast. On Tuesday, 95 groups including labor unions, parent groups, environmental justice organizations and privacy advocates signed a resolution opposing Trump's embrace of industry-driven AI policy and calling for a 'People's AI Action Plan' that would 'deliver first and foremost for the American people.' Amba Kak, co-executive director of the AI Now Institute, which helped lead the effort, said the coalition expects Trump's plan to come 'straight from Big Tech's mouth.' 'Every time we say, 'What about our jobs, our air, water, our children?' they're going to say, 'But what about China?'' she said in a call with reporters Tuesday. She said Americans should reject the White House's argument that the industry is overregulated and fight to preserve 'baseline protections for the public' as AI technology advances.
Boston Globe
3 hours ago
- Boston Globe
From tech podcasts to policy: Trump's new AI plan leans heavily on Silicon Valley industry ideas
The plan and related executive orders are expected to include some familiar tech lobby pitches. That includes accelerating the sale of AI technology abroad and making it easier to construct the energy-hungry data center buildings that are needed to form and run AI products, according to a person briefed on Wednesday's event who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up It might also include some of the AI culture war preoccupations of the circle of venture capitalists who endorsed Trump last year. Advertisement Blocking 'woke AI' from tech contractors Countering the liberal bias they see in AI chatbots such as ChatGPT or Google's Gemini has long been a rallying point for the tech industry's loudest Trump backers. Sacks, a former PayPal executive and now Trump's top AI adviser, has been criticizing 'woke AI' for more than a year, fueled by Google's February 2024 rollout of an AI image generator that, when asked to show an American Founding Father, created pictures of Black, Latino and Native American men. Advertisement 'The AI's incapable of giving you accurate answers because it's been so programmed with diversity and inclusion,' Sacks said at the time. Google quickly fixed its tool, but the 'Black George Washington' moment remained a parable for the problem of AI's perceived political bias, taken up by X owner Elon Musk, venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, Vice President JD Vance and Republican lawmakers. The administration's latest push against 'woke AI' comes a week after the Pentagon announced new $200 million contracts with four leading AI companies, including Google, to address 'critical national security challenges.' Also receiving one of the contracts was Musk's xAI, which has been pitched as an alternative to 'woke AI' companies. The company has faced its own challenges: Earlier this month, xAI had to scramble to remove posts made by its Grok chatbot that made antisemitic comments and praised Adolf Hitler. Streamlining AI data center permits Trump has paired AI's need for huge amounts of electricity with his own push to tap into U.S. energy sources, including gas, coal and nuclear. 'Everything we aspire to and hope for means the demand and supply of energy in America has to go up,' said Michael Kratsios, the director of the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy, in a video posted Tuesday. Many tech giants are already well on their way toward building new data centers in the U.S. and around the world. OpenAI announced this week that it has switched on the first phase of a massive data center complex in Abilene, Texas, part of an Oracle-backed project known as Stargate that Trump promoted earlier this year. Amazon, Microsoft, Meta and xAI also have major projects underway. Advertisement The tech industry has pushed for easier permitting rules to get their computing facilities connected to power, but the AI building boom has also contributed to spiking demand for fossil fuel production that will contribute to global warming. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called on the world's major tech firms to power data centers completely with renewables by 2030. 'A typical AI data center eats up as much electricity as 100,000 homes,' Guterres said. 'By 2030, data centers could consume as much electricity as all of Japan does today.' A new approach to AI exports? It's long been White House policy under Republican and Democratic administrations to curtail certain technology exports to China and other adversaries on national security grounds. But much of the tech industry argued that Biden went too far at the end of his term in trying to restrict the exports of specialized AI computer chips to more than 100 other countries, including close allies. Part of the Biden administration's motivation was to stop China from acquiring coveted AI chips in third-party locations such as Southeast Asia or the Middle East, but critics said the measures would end up encouraging more countries to turn to China's fast-growing AI industry instead of the U.S. as their technology supplier. It remains to be seen how the Trump administration aims to accelerate the export of U.S.-made AI technologies while countering China's AI ambitions. California chipmakers Nvidia and AMD both announced last week that they won approval from the Trump administration to sell to China some of their advanced computer chips used to develop artificial intelligence. Advertisement AMD CEO Lisa Su is among the guests planning to attend Trump's event Wednesday. Who benefits from Trump's AI action plan There are sharp debates on how to regulate AI, even among the influential venture capitalists who have been debating it on their favorite medium: the podcast. While some Trump backers, particularly Andreessen, have advocated an 'accelerationist' approach that aims to speed up AI advancement with minimal regulation, Sacks has described himself as taking a middle road of techno-realism. 'Technology is going to happen. Trying to stop it is like ordering the tides to stop. If we don't do it, somebody else will,' Sacks said on the All-In podcast. On Tuesday, 95 groups including labor unions, parent groups, environmental justice organizations and privacy advocates signed a resolution opposing Trump's embrace of industry-driven AI policy and calling for a 'People's AI Action Plan' that would 'deliver first and foremost for the American people.' Amba Kak, co-executive director of the AI Now Institute, which helped lead the effort, said the coalition expects Trump's plan to come 'straight from Big Tech's mouth.' 'Every time we say, 'What about our jobs, our air, water, our children?' they're going to say, 'But what about China?'' she said in a call with reporters Tuesday. She said Americans should reject the White House's argument that the industry is overregulated and fight to preserve 'baseline protections for the public' as AI technology advances. Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report.
Business Insider
3 hours ago
- Business Insider
All Eyes on Tesla Stock as Earnings Loom; Daniel Ives Sets Expectations
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) stock is under the microscope as the EV giant gets set to report second-quarter earnings tomorrow (Wednesday, July 23) after the market closes. Beyond the headline numbers, investors will be watching closely for updates on Tesla's innovation efforts – including its Optimus robot, expanding robotics ambitions, and a potential investment in xAI. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Despite ongoing concerns around weak sales, the loss of EV tax credits, and CEO Elon Musk's polarizing reputation, some analysts see a potential shift in the narrative. Among them is Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives, who believes the set-up going into this report is 'dramatically different' from the more cautious backdrop ahead of Q1. 'While on the April earnings call the big focus was Musk officially leaving the Trump Administration and pressure to refocus on being CEO on Tesla….now investors are seeing more of a 'wartime CEO' as Elon is laser focused on the Robotaxi expansion in Austin with more cities soon on the docket for this key autonomous initiative,' Ives opined. Calling Tesla 'one of the clear future leaders in AI,' Ives pointed to the company's growing momentum in autonomous tech and robotics as key catalysts. The analyst believes the market is starting to grasp the scale of what Tesla is building – not just a car company, but an AI-driven platform with massive long-term potential. In his view, that opportunity alone could add $1 trillion in value to the Tesla story. Of course, innovation alone won't carry the story. Tesla also needs to stabilize its core markets, particularly China, where sales have stumbled amid fierce competition. Encouragingly, June marked the first monthly sales increase in eight months, driven by strong demand for the refreshed Model Y. For Ives, this rebound is a key signal that Tesla's execution in its most important growth region is improving. As for the raw results, the Street is expecting revenues of $22 billion, with automotive revenue reaching $16 billion. Gross margins (excluding credits) are seen landing between 13% and 14%, with EPS around $0.39. Still, the loss of EV tax credits remains a looming challenge. Ives cautions that this 'cash cow' will play a smaller role in Tesla's free cash flow by 2026, though he expects management to address the issue on the call and offer guidance for the second half, particularly as China demand recovers and Model Y momentum builds. 'Importantly we anticipate deliveries globally to rebound in 2H led by some improvement on the key China front with the Model Y refresh a catalyst,' Ives further said. Bottom line, Ives remains the most bullish voice on the Street, assigning TSLA shares with an Outperform (i.e., Buy) rating and a Street-high $500 price target. Investors could be sitting on ~50% gains, should Ives's forecast play out as anticipated. (To watch Ives' track record, click here) Generally speaking, the rest of the analyst community is far less optimistic; Tesla stock only claims a Hold (i.e., Neutral) consensus rating, based on a mix of 13 Buys and Holds, each, plus 8 Sells. The forecast calls for a 12-month drop of ~10%, considering the average price target stands at $299.52. (See Tesla stock forecast) To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks' Best Stocks to Buy, a tool that unites all of TipRanks' equity insights.
