OceanAI: A Conversational Platform for Accurate, Transparent, Near-Real-Time Oceanographic Insights

TL;DR

OceanAI is a conversational platform that combines large language models with real-time NOAA data to provide accurate, transparent, and verifiable oceanographic insights, improving trust and reproducibility in scientific communication.

Contribution

It introduces a scalable, extensible system that integrates LLMs with authoritative ocean data, enabling real-time, verifiable scientific responses and visualizations.

Findings

OceanAI outperforms other AI chat products in providing NOAA-sourced data.

It supports multiple NOAA data streams for diverse oceanographic applications.

The platform enhances transparency and reproducibility in ocean science communication.

Abstract

Artificial intelligence is transforming the sciences, yet general conversational AI systems often generate unverified "hallucinations" undermining scientific rigor. We present OceanAI, a conversational platform that integrates the natural-language fluency of open-source large language models (LLMs) with real-time, parameterized access to authoritative oceanographic data streams hosted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Each query such as "What was Boston Harbor's highest water level in 2024?" triggers real-time API calls that identify, parse, and synthesize relevant datasets into reproducible natural-language responses and data visualizations. In a blind comparison with three widely used AI chat-interface products, only OceanAI produced NOAA-sourced values with original data references; others either declined to answer or provided unsupported results. Designed for extensibility, OceanAI connects to multiple NOAA data products and variables, supporting applications in marine hazard forecasting, ecosystem assessment, and water-quality monitoring. By grounding outputs and verifiable observations, OceanAI advances transparency, reproducibility, and trust, offering a scalable framework for AI-enabled decision support within the oceans. A public demonstration is available at https://oceanai.ai4ocean.xyz.