IUA Circular 032/26
The Influencers Podcast:
Listening to the Ocean: AI, acoustics and the future of tsunami warning with Dr Usama Kadri, Cardiff University
Date: 9 April 2026
Interest Groups: IUA member contacts, underwriting interests
Subject: Episode 2 in a new series of podcasts produced by the IUA and Hogan Lovells
IUA Contact: Tom Hughes, Director of Underwriting ( 44 (0)78 2533 4264)
List to the Influencers podcast episodes
“If we had a technology to actually generate these extremely large-scale acoustic gravity waves and we also have the technology to finely tune them with the tsunami which is approaching a shoreline. In theory we can make them interact in a way that they withdraw energy from the tsunami and redistribute it over a larger space and by that we would reduce the height of the tsunami.”
Will acoustic ground waves redefine our understanding of tsunamis?
The Influencers, is a podcast series offering insightful conversations with leaders from business, academia and regulating authorities about all aspects of digital transformation and law. In this episode the IUA's Tom Hughes and Hogan Lovells’ Karishma Paroha hear Dr Usama Kadri, Professor at Cardiff University, challenge the assumptions underpinning tsunami modelling, including some that insurers consider foundational . . .
Dr Kadri has devoted his career to advancing our understanding of tsunamis, working as a Reader in Applied Mathematics at Cardiff University. In our discussion, he explores the theoretical potential of using technology to generate large-scale acoustic gravity waves, a rapidly growing area of research within the scientific community.
AI Forecasting, Analytical Models and their Importance
Dr Kadri’s work on acoustic gravity waves is truly groundbreaking. There are exponential applications and the potential to drastically reduce the impact of tsunamis on society. But will technological advancement and real-world use cases come to fruition over the next few years?
During the episode, Dr Kadri carefully explains the mechanics behind these invisible waves. He highlights practical changes that society and governments would expect to see should these processes be implemented on a large scale.
Through an insurance lens, AI-driven tsunami forecasting promises risk mitigation and management opportunities. Dr Kadri investigates the direct potential impacts of the technology, such as improving the reliability of CAT modelling and pricing. He also identifies the possibility that insurers may wish to integrate real-time, early warning technology into their parametric insurance solutions.
Key Learnings
The integration of AI-driven forecasting is expected to benefit the insurance industry. But like all fast-moving technology, its success relies not only on the promise of technological innovation, but the importance of cross-sector cooperation. Key stakeholders needed at the table include universities, tech firms, governments and insurers.
This podcast episode spotlights Dr Kadri’s pioneering research on the use of acoustic gravity waves for tsunami prediction, emphasising the transformative potential of this approach. It also provides insight into Dr Kadri’s motivations in dedicating his studies to this unique line of research. Fundamentally, he sees the opportunity to make the greatest impact of all: realising the potential to save lives.
Listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or via the Hogan Lovells website.
Read the full preview here