“Artificial intelligence enables us to address some of humanity’s greatest challenges, and in this case, improve disaster resilience for populations around the world,” Toni Townes-Whitley, President of US Regulated Industries, Microsoft, said in a statement. “As evidenced by this consortium we have joined with the DOE and DoD, it’s critical that private and public sectors work together to provide first responders with technology that has the potential to save lives.”

The partnership between Microsoft and the DOE makes sense: Microsoft has the tools and infrastructure to help churn through vast amounts of data, and the DOE desperately needs better ways to prepare for impending disasters. After all, California and western US states are currently facing another season of wildfires. Iowa is still recovering from a massive wind storm, and last year almost 14 million people throughout the Midwest and South were hit with heavy flooding.

No matter what you think of why these disasters are cropping up more frequently (but yes, it’s likely climate change), the US will need all the help it can get moving forward. And hopefully, Microsoft and the DOE can share what they learn with the rest of the world eventually.