Community Event Session 12: Earth Observation Data and AI: a Revolution for Earth Intelligence and Information Services

Objectives

The AI/ML and data revolution is cutting across all sectors of GEO post-2025 priorities. In particular, Earth Observation is a major and ubiquitous input source for Earth Intelligence, and EO-based information value-adding chains are already positively and massively disrupted by ML.

For over a decade, initiatives such as Copernicus in Europe and elsewhere have taken EO-based operational information services to the next level, with demonstrated policy, socio-economic and public benefits and can be further fuelled by AI/ML developments.

The objective of this community event is to contribute and respond to priorities of the GEO's Post-2025 Strategy "Earth Intelligence for all", and in particular focus area “Open Data, Open Knowledge, and Infrastructure”.

This event will bring together key GEO stakeholders from Europe and around the world to discuss challenges and opportunities brought by rapid developments of AI/ML (generative AI, trustworthiness…) and data management (access, federation…) issues in the EO domain towards Earth Intelligence for all, and positive socio-economic and environmental impacts. It will integrate varied aspect of using AI/ML with EO data including several application areas covering the Earth System, different geographical zones, combination of AI with community knowledge and technical aspects such as licensing and data readiness.

The main expected outcome of the event is to foster collaboration within the global GEO community to unlock the potential of EO data and AI/ML to support Earth intelligence and uptake in support of GEO Thematic Areas.

Agenda

Welcome and scene setting (5 min) – Franz Immler, European Commission, DG RTD;
Keynote: “Earth observation and AI: the disruption example of weather and Early Warning Systems” (15 min; cumulated duration 20 min) – Vincent-Henri Peuch, ECMWF;
Pico-talk 1: “The Creative Commons efforts for machine-actionable licensing in support of AI” (4 min; cumulated duration 24 min) – Taylor Campbell, Creative Commons;
Pico-talk 2: “LabOT Network and AmeriGEO in Action” (4 min; cumulated duration 28 min) – Ricardo Quiroga, RED LABOT;
Pico-talk 3: “AI for Earth Observation: Detecting and Monitoring Wildfires in Near Real-Time” (4 min; cumulated duration 32 min) – Yifang Ban, KTH Royal Institute of Technology;
Pico-talk 4: “GenAI for a Resilient Agri-food Ecosystem” (4 min; cumulated duration 36 min) – Karel Charvat, Plan4all;
Pico-talk 5: “AI: an indispensable tool for modern EO” (4 min; cumulated duration 40 min) – Massimo Ciscato, European Commission, HaDEA;
Keynote: “Earth System Information Partners’ AI Data Readiness Checklist and related progress through the World Data System partnership” (15 min; cumulated duration 55 min) – Reyna Jenkyns, World Data System;
Panel discussion with seed questions (access to data, infrastructures, interoperability, best practices, trustworthiness, equity and inclusion) and a poll (Slido type) for active engagement with GEO community audience and getting on-the-spot insights on what the community thinks (30 min; cumulated duration 85 min). Panellists:
- Ricardo Quiroga, RED LABOT,
- Yifang Ban, KTH Royal Institute of Technology,
- Stelios Kotsopoulos, Neuralio,
- Massimo Ciscato, European Commission, HaDEA,
- Reyna Jenkyns, World Data System,
- Vincent-Henri Peuch, ECMWF.