Google Unveils AI 'Virtual Satellite' to Monitor Planetary Changes
A recent Nature Briefing reports that Google has launched a groundbreaking artificial intelligence model, AlphaEarth Foundations, designed to function as a “virtual satellite.” The model integrates trillions of disparate data points—including satellite imagery, radar, and other Earth observation sources—to monitor changes in land and shallow water bodies across the globe.
AlphaEarth Foundations is capable of mapping any location on Earth at any time. Researchers anticipate that it will become a powerful tool for identifying optimal sites for clean energy projects, analyzing the ecological effects of climate change, tracking deforestation, and more.
According to Google, AlphaEarth’s datasets are fully processed and will be updated regularly. These datasets are accessible through Google Earth Engine, the company’s cloud-based geospatial analysis platform, which already houses data repositories on agriculture, deforestation, weather, and other environmental topics. By weaving together multiple sources, AlphaEarth offers scientists a unified, streamlined product for large-scale environmental analysis.