Ep.5 What is foundation model - drawing from numerical simulation

Ep.5 What is foundation model - drawing from numerical simulation

From AI Extreme Weather and Climate by Zhi Li

June 3, 2025 · 29 min · Season 1 · Episode 5

About this episode

This episode explores foundation models through the lens of numerical solutions in fluid dynamics and introduces the Data-Driven Finite Element Method as a bridge between traditional methods and modern AI.

When we talk about foundation models, what are we talking about? This is a reflection piece on foundation models by drawing an analogy from numerical solutions in fluid dynamics. This paper explore the challenges in building these models for science and engineering and introduce a promising framework called the Data-Driven Finite Element Method (DD-FEM) , which aims to bridge traditional numerical methods with modern AI to provide a rigorous foundation for this exciting new field. Choi, Y., Cheung, S. W., Kim, Y., Tsai, P. H., Diaz, A. N., Zanardi, I., ... & Heinkenschloss, M. (2025). Defining Foundation Models for Computational Science: A Call for Clarity and Rigor. arXiv preprint arXiv:2505.22904 .

Topics covered

  • foundation models
  • numerical simulation
  • fluid dynamics
  • Data-Driven Finite Element Method
  • AI in science and engineering

Keywords

  • computational science
  • model building
  • AI integration

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Data-Driven Finite Element Method

Books & works: Defining Foundation Models for Computational Science: A Call for Clarity and Rigor

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