Google DeepMind has launched a new AI model, AlphaEarth Foundations, that generates nearly real-time views of the planet Earth by connecting and unifying disparate satellite datasets.
The technology combines land and coastal water information using a vast number of different public sources, such as optical satellite images, radar, and 3D laser mapping, and blends it together in 10×10 meter squares, creating a highly compact summary for each square. (These summaries require less storage space than other AI systems.)
This innovation allows scientists and researchers to create detailed consistent maps to monitor agricultural and environmental changes, without having to rely on “a single satellite passing overhead.”
This new technology introduces exciting opportunities for supply chains. Enterprises can use the technology for supply chain monitoring, such as verifying sustainable sourcing claims and for supply chain risk assessment (Remio). Blockchain News writes that AlphaEarth Foundations “opens up substantial market opportunities in sectors such as agriculture, insurance, and environmental consulting, where real-time Earth data can drive monetization strategies…According to market analysis from Statista in 2024, the global AI in agriculture market is projected to reach $4 billion by 2026, with geospatial AI contributing significantly due to its role in optimizing supply chains and reducing crop losses.”
