IBM and NASA Launch AI Model to Predict Solar Weather, Safeguard Tech

NASA and IBM have unveiled a groundbreaking open-source AI model named Surya, designed to predict solar weather and its impacts on technology both on Earth and in space. This innovative model, announced on August 20, 2025, is set to aid small business owners by potentially safeguarding their operations against the unpredictable effects of solar activity.

Small businesses increasingly rely on technology, making them vulnerable to disruptions caused by solar storms. Surya, through its advanced predictions of solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and solar winds, offers critical insights that could shield businesses from severe repercussions, such as GPS failures or power outages.

“The Sun may be 93 million miles away, but its impact on modern life is immediate and growing,” noted Juan Bernabe-Moreno, Director of IBM Research Europe, UK and Ireland. ”Surya gives us unprecedented capability to anticipate what’s coming and is not just a technological achievement, but a critical step toward protecting our technological civilization.”

Given the growing concern about solar weather, which could theoretically cause up to $2.4 trillion in economic losses over five years due to its impact on various sectors, the introduction of Surya couldn’t be more timely. Events as recent as 2024 demonstrated these risks, as solar storms disrupted GPS services and prompted flight diversions.

For small business owners, Surya represents a leap forward in operational risk management. Understanding the potential consequences of solar events allows businesses to implement proactive measures, such as adjusting logistics during predicted solar storms or securing data against satellite disruptions.

The model was trained on an unprecedented scale using nine years of high-resolution solar observation data from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. Surya can offer insights on various solar activity factors, making it an essential tool for industries heavily dependent on technology, including telecommunications, transportation, and agriculture. Those sectors could particularly benefit from this model’s capabilities to predict solar flares with a 16% improvement in accuracy over traditional methods.

In practical terms, businesses might integrate Surya’s predictions into their operational workflows, particularly in planning logistics and safeguarding data integrity. For example, agriculture could see considerable benefits, as disruptions in GPS navigation can impact food production. Advanced warnings would allow farmers to plan accordingly, ensuring minimal production loss.

However, the introduction of this technology comes with challenges. Small businesses must consider how to integrate this model into their existing systems, as adequate training and resources may be necessary. Also, while the model democratizes access to advanced AI, not all businesses may have the expertise to leverage its full capabilities.

Surya’s influence extends beyond individual businesses; it paves the path for collective industry learning. By releasing the AI model on Hugging Face, IBM and NASA are encouraging a community-driven approach to enhancing solar weather prediction. This collaborative environment allows for knowledge sharing among various industries, enabling small business owners to learn from one another’s experiences with solar weather challenges.

Kevin Murphy, Chief Science Data Officer at NASA, stated, “We’re making it easier to analyze the complexities of the Sun’s behavior with unprecedented speed and precision.” This level of insight can translate into operational foresight—an invaluable asset for small businesses that must navigate technological and environmental uncertainties.

As the reliance on technology grows, so does the need for effective tools to mitigate solar weather risks. Surya offers a compelling way forward for small businesses that depend on technology for day-to-day operations. With proactive measures based on reliable predictions, businesses stand to gain a competitive edge, ensuring not just survival but continued growth in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

For further details on this groundbreaking technology and its applications, you can read the original press release here.

Image Via Envato

This article, "IBM and NASA Launch AI Model to Predict Solar Weather, Safeguard Tech" was first published on Small Business Trends