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Researchers from the Water，Peace and Security Partnership (WPS) have announced the creation of a global forecasting tool that can predict where conflicts arising from water insecurity are most likely to break out. The system uses artificial intelligence to create patterns from a wide range of geographical and socioeconomic data and can identify potential conflict hotspots up to a year in advance.
Susan Schme，a senior lecturer at Delft Institute for Water Education, which leads the WPS, explains predicting these types of conflicts isn't as simple as it might first appear. It isn't simply a case of conflicts increasing every time a water security incident occurs. Several regional and cultural factors also play a part, making prediction difficult.
The researchers tested the AI tool in Mali. They found that it predicted more than threequarters of the waterrelated conflicts there. To achieve this, the system is fed with a variety of data. “First there's the natural side of things—so rainfall data, soil moisture and many other natural factors，” explains Schme. This enables it to identify areas where availability of water is likely to become a concern.
“Then we also look at vulnerability in terms of socioeconomic and political developments—anything from a regime type to the state of development in a region，” she adds. This additional information is weighed up to determine whether it increases or decreases the chance of conflict. Other factors might include whether the water insecurity is likely to affect crops.
The tool is just one part of a wider WPS project that aims to increase the availability of information which could help avoid waterrelated conflicts. Once artificial intelligence has made its predictions the WPS researchers use other analytical tools to zoomin on a certain region and find out exactly what's driving water insecurity. This might be decreased rainfall，increased population，or water might be being diverted away from a community.
The designers are now undergoing final tests of the new AI tool to make sure it's ready for a November launch date. Once widely available，Schme hopes that it will be used by local governments and also by international organisations with an interest in maintaining global stability.
1．What is the function of the tool?
A．Collecting all kinds of data.
B．Predicting conflict hotspots.
C．Ensuring security of water.
D．Stopping fractures of water pipes.
2．How did the AI tool work in Mali?
A．The government discourages it.
B．More improvement is needed.
C．It works quite effectively.
D．It attracts public attention.
3．What is the last paragraph mainly about?
A．People's attitude to the AI tool.
B．The study process of the AI tool.
C．Designers of the AI tool.
D．The future of the AI tool.
