Dr. Xinyue Ye Speaks with NALEO on Artificial Intelligence
Dr. Xinyue Ye, Harold L. Adams Endowed Professor of Urban Planning at Texas A&M University, presented a compelling keynote address at the NALEO Policy Institute on Emergency Preparedness in Houston on Sept. 19, 2024. His presentation, “The Role of AI in Hazard Mitigation,” moderated by Texas State Representative Armando Walle, explored the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in disaster preparedness and response.
Dr. Ye is the Director of Center for Geospatial Sciences, Applications, and Technology and Core Faculty of The Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center. Recently, he highlighted how AI is revolutionizing various sectors, including healthcare, education, and manufacturing, and emphasized its growing importance in mitigating the impact of increasingly frequent billion-dollar disasters.
He shared insights from cutting-edge AI research projects that support disaster management before, during, and after events, such as improving forecasting models for natural hazards like hurricanes and floods. Dr. Ye also demonstrated how AI can optimize resource mobilization for emergency personnel and coordinate evacuations, ultimately saving lives and protecting property.
“AI’s transformative potential in disaster preparedness goes beyond just improving forecasts and response times—it offers an opportunity to empower local communities. By involving communities in every stage of AI technology development, from ideation to design and implementation, we can ensure that AI-driven solutions are inclusive and equitable. It is critical that those most vulnerable to disasters have a voice in shaping the technologies that will protect them, fostering resilience not just through advanced tools but through community-driven, data-informed decision-making processes that leave no one behind.” — Dr. Xinyue Ye
The session delved into the practical applications of AI in disaster preparedness, with Dr. Ye and Rep. Walle engaging in discussions on successful AI implementations, data quality challenges, and the role of AI in enhancing collaboration among agencies. They also explored how other states and cities can leverage AI for better hazard mitigation and outlined policy options for integrating AI into natural hazard modeling.
This 1.5-hour event, attended by more than 70 Latino elected officials nationwide, provided a valuable platform for policymakers to understand and discuss the potential of AI in disaster response. The session concluded with a Q&A, offering practical insights and guidance for officials seeking to address these critical issues within their own jurisdictions.
