Google continues its work in artificial intelligence with its new model, AlphaEarth Foundations. Developed by the DeepMind team, the system functions as a virtual satellite, tracking the planet’s surface in extraordinary detail. AlphaEarth Foundations processes terabytes of satellite data obtained daily, making Earth’s geographic and environmental map ever more detailed.
Google to Map the World with AlphaEarth Foundations
The model works not only with optical satellite imagery but also with data from numerous different sources, including radar data, laser scans, and climate simulations. All of this data allows for analysis by dividing the Earth’s surface into 10×10 meter areas. This allows for the precise monitoring of various components, such as soil structure, vegetation, groundwater resources, and man-made structures, over time.
The system not only visualizes past and present imagery but also compresses this data, making storage and analysis more efficient. This feature ensures that the data presented in different layers is readable and understandable for users. The model’s working principle allows for the observation of any point on Earth with a virtual satellite image.
To date, AlphaEarth Foundations has successfully mapped the surface of Antarctica in detail and detected changes in Canadian agricultural lands that are invisible to the naked eye. Initial tests of the model were conducted over the past 18 months in collaboration with over 50 institutions, including MapBiomas, which monitors rainforests in Brazil, and Global Ecosystems Atlas, which classifies global ecosystems.
The information provided by the model, used in numerous projects ranging from agricultural land monitoring to ecosystem analyses, has formed the basis for various research and planning activities.
AlphaEarth Foundations is not a direct consumer product. However, some components of the model are being integrated into Google Earth Engine. This platform was previously used for environmental monitoring studies such as forest loss and the change in water resources over time. Now, the data AlphaEarth provides annually can be used for more advanced analyses and specialized mapping projects.
Google states that the system poses no privacy risks. AlphaEarth doesn’t operate at a resolution sufficient to identify individuals, vehicles, or faces. This makes the model, developed solely for large-scale environmental observations and analysis, a potential decision-support tool for local governments, government agencies, and the private sector.
