生成式人工智能在环境工程中的应用前瞻

Human society is currently at a critical juncture in the revolutionary development of artificial intelligence (AI), with new generative AI technologies, represented by large language models, bringing new opportunities for scientific research and social governance. Concurrently, the increasingly prominent issues of systemic complexity in environmental contexts necessitate a more intelligent approach to research, methodologies, and paradigms within the field of Environmental Engineering. Exploring the empowering forms and expanding the application boundaries of new generative AI technologies in Environmental Engineering is an essential process for the development of the discipline and a key task in responding to the national demand for building a “green and intelligent digital ecological civilization.” This paper aimed to analyze changes in the intelligent demands of Environmental Engineering, explore the current status and trends of AI applications in this field, and investigate the application scenarios, methods, and technologies of new generative AI in Environmental Engineering. It progressed through three levels: constructing and adapting foundational models, developing multifunctional intelligent support applications driven by demand scenarios, and understanding and reconstructing complex tasks based on combined workflows. The study proposes key strategic directions for the intelligent evolution of Environmental Engineering in China, aiming to accelerate the country's research into applying generative AI in this field and establish its leadership and pioneering status.