Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to transform many scientific disciplines, with the potential to significantly accelerate scientific discovery. This perspective calls for the development of data-centric water engineering to tackle water challenges in a changing world. Building on the historical evolution of water engineering from empirical and theoretical paradigms to the current computational paradigm, we argue that a fourth paradigm, i.e., data-centric water engineering, is emerging driven by recent AI advances. Here we define a new framework for data-centric water engineering in which data are transformed into knowledge and insight through a data pipeline powered by AI technologies. It is proposed that data-centric water engineering embraces three principles – data-first, integration and decision making. We envision that the development of data-centric water engineering needs an interdisciplinary research community, a shift in mindset and culture in the academia and water industry, and an ethical and risk framework to guide the development and application of AI. We hope this paper could inspire research and development that will accelerate the paradigm shift towards data-centric water engineering in the water sector and fundamentally transform the planning and management of water infrastructure.

中文翻译：

---

掀起波澜：迈向以数据为中心的水利工程


人工智能 (AI) 预计将改变许多科学学科，并有可能显着加速科学发现。这种观点呼吁发展以数据为中心的水工程，以应对不断变化的世界中的水挑战。基于水工程从经验和理论范式到当前计算范式的历史演变，我们认为第四种范式，即以数据为中心的水工程，正在由最新的人工智能进步驱动而出现。在这里，我们定义了一个以数据为中心的水利工程的新框架，其中数据通过人工智能技术支持的数据管道转化为知识和见解。提出以数据为中心的水利工程应遵循三个原则：数据优先、集成和决策。我们认为，以数据为中心的水工程的发展需要跨学科的研究社区、学术界和水行业思维和文化的转变，以及指导人工智能开发和应用的道德和风险框架。我们希望本文能够激发研究和开发，加速水务领域向以数据为中心的水利工程的范式转变，并从根本上改变水利基础设施的规划和管理。