Insufficient Data: The Need for Standardized Monitoring Networks for Reliable Climate AI

This technical note discusses the structural limitations of current climate-related Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications due to the lack of standardized and geographically representative in situ monitoring networks. Drawing on the experience of the Salado River Basin monitoring system in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, the document highlights the risks of training AI models with non-representative data and the urgent need for multilateral investment in physical infrastructure for satellite validation and environmental monitoring. The note argues that AI will only be as reliable as the measurements that support it, emphasizing the importance of certified, continuous, and well-maintained networks to ensure climate resilience and evidence-based water management.