Application of Artificial Intelligence in Drought Assessment and Monitoring: a Review

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly emerging as a pivotal technology in addressing the escalating global challenge of drought. By leveraging advanced computational capabilities, these intelligence systems offer unprecedented accuracy and real-time insights for understanding, predicting, and mitigating the multifaceted impacts of water scarcity. The applications of Artificial Intelligence span enhanced forecasting and early warning systems, real-time monitoring of hydrological conditions, optimized water resource management across sectors, and comprehensive quantification of drought impacts. These applications yield significant benefits, including improved decision-making, reduced human error, 24/7 availability, and the potential for new scientific discoveries. However, the widespread adoption of AI in drought management faces considerable challenges, particularly concerning data quality and availability, model interpretability, and critical ethical considerations such as bias, privacy, and accountability. To fully harness its potential, this report recommends fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, investing in robust data infrastructure, developing transparent and explainable AI models, establishing comprehensive governance frameworks, and prioritizing ethical guidelines to ensure equitable and sustainable outcomes.