Artificial intelligence is being used to help map uncharted streets in developing countries to allow governments and aid groups to determine where people live and how to reach them.
Large numbers of homes in Africa, Asia, and Latin America are not currently represented on any maps, meaning they can be left out of services, planning, decision-making, and politics.
But a new Google data set of more than 1.8bn buildings across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean has used artificial intelligence to turn blurry satellite photos into detailed maps outlining individual buildings.
The latest Open Buildings dataset also contains maps drawn up from 2016 to 2023, showing how towns and cities have expanded and changed in some of the fastest-growing countries in the world.
The data has already been used on projects such as targeting children missed from vaccination campaigns. The AI model relies on cloud-free images to get the best results and these can be difficult in some cloudy climates. Tiny buildings, like informal shacks, can also be missed. A statement from Google said: “Maps are a lifeline to many things we need.
