Toward a Collective Agenda on AI for Earth Science Data Analysis

Abstract

In past years, we have witnessed the fields of geosciences and remote sensing and artificial intelligence (AI) become closer. Thanks to the massive availability of observational data, improved simulations, and algorithmic advances, these disciplines have found common objectives and challenges to help advance the modeling and understanding of the Earth system. Despite such great opportunities, we have also observed a worrisome tendency to remain in disciplinary comfort zones, applying recent advances from AI on well-resolved remote sensing problems. Here, we take a position on the research directions for which we think the interface between these fields will have the most significant impact and become potential game changers. In our declared agenda for AI in Earth sciences, we aim to inspire researchers, especially the younger generations, to tackle these challenges for a real advance of remote sensing and the geosciences.