Google’s AI Tool Transforms Urban Planning in the Global South

Google has introduced the Open Buildings 2.5D Temporal Dataset, a groundbreaking tool that tracks building changes across the Global South, covering Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia. This dataset uses satellite imagery and AI to provide detailed information on building presence, counts, and heights from 2016 to 2023.

With urban populations expected to surge by 2.5 billion by 2050, mostly in Asia and Africa, governments and organizations need accurate data to plan for growth, manage resources, and respond to crises. However, many regions lack up-to-date infrastructure data, making it difficult to understand how cities are changing.

How It Works:

The dataset uses low-resolution images from the European Space Agency's Sentinel-2 satellites, which capture images every five days. This allows Google’s AI to estimate building details even in areas where high-resolution images are outdated or unavailable.

The AI model compares multiple images of the same location to detect changes over time. It uses a “student and teacher” method: a high-resolution model (teacher) trains a lower-resolution model (student) to predict accurate building details.

Challenges:

• Some regions have limited cloud-free images, affecting data accuracy.

• The AI struggles with very small buildings and can sometimes mistake non-building features like solar panels for structures.

Applications:

• Government Agencies: Plan urban growth and allocate resources.

• Humanitarian Organizations: Assess disaster impacts and deliver targeted aid.

• Researchers: Study urbanization and environmental changes.

The dataset is available through the Open Buildings site and Earth Engine. Google invites policymakers, researchers, and development organizations to use this tool and provide feedback. For more details about the research, visit Google’s blog about this research.

Building the Future with AI

This technology could significantly shape our future by providing real-time data for urban planning and disaster response, enabling smarter, more resilient cities. It can help governments and organizations allocate resources effectively, address infrastructure gaps, and mitigate the environmental impact of rapid urbanization. As AI continues to improve, these insights could drive sustainable development and better quality of life for millions of people living in rapidly growing cities across the Global South.