OpenAI convened 50 disaster-management leaders in Bangkok to build tools using artificial intelligence (AI) for faster emergency response, the company said in an announcement.
Disaster teams in Asia often work with fragmented data, manual processes and limited infrastructure, and the region accounts for an estimated 75% of people affected by disasters globally, with World Bank estimates showing disasters have cost ASEAN countries more than $11 billion in previous years; OpenAI internal data showed cyclone-related ChatGPT message volumes rose 17× in Sri Lanka and 3.2× in Thailand during recent storms.
The event, billed as an AI Jam, brought participants from 13 countries — Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam — and paired them with OpenAI mentors and partners the Gates Foundation, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) and DataKind to prototype custom GPTs and reusable workflows for situation reporting, needs assessment and public communication. “Equipping the people closest to communities with the knowledge and skills to harness the power of digital tools and emerging technologies like AI is one of the most powerful investments we can make in disaster preparedness and response. We're proud to bring together partners across the region and to see it translate into tools that can be put to work right away” —Dr. Valerie Nkamgang Bemo, Deputy Director, Emergency Response at the Gates Foundation
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Sessions emphasised responsible use and building institutional trust as teams adapted models to resource-constrained settings. “AI is opening new possibilities for how we understand and respond to disasters. ADPC integrates AI into geospatial tools and risk analytics to transform satellite and earth observation data into actionable insights. AI Skills Jam could improve AI literacy and empower people to find solutions to disaster challenges. We can combine AI tools with regional expertise and partnerships to strengthen early warning systems, improve risk mapping, and support faster, more informed decision-making for communities and governments across the region.” —Mr. Aslam Perwaiz, ADPC Executive Director
OpenAI and its partners are exploring a second phase aimed at pilot deployments and deeper technical collaboration with participating organisations in the coming months.
The recap
- OpenAI held an AI Jam for disaster managers in Bangkok
- 50 leaders attended from 13 Southeast and South Asian countries
- Partners plan pilot deployments and deeper technical collaboration
