Google's AlphaEarth AI Maps Any 10-Meter Area on Earth Using Satellite Data

Google has launched AlphaEarth Foundations, a new AI model designed to monitor global environmental changes. This system analyzes vast amounts of daily satellite data, compressing it into detailed maps. These maps reveal material properties, vegetation, groundwater, and human structures with 10-meter resolution. AlphaEarth utilizes "embeddings" to significantly reduce storage needs and improve accuracy over other AI tools. It has already successfully mapped challenging Antarctic terrain and detected subtle changes in Canadian agriculture. The technology is currently integrated into Google Search and Maps for flood and wildfire alerts. Research organizations are employing AlphaEarth to study diverse ecosystems like rainforests, deserts, and wetlands. The model seamlessly integrates with Google Earth Engine, a platform used by agencies like NASA. This integration provides access to over a trillion annual data points for environmental monitoring. AlphaEarth represents a significant advancement in using AI for global environmental understanding and protection.