Geospatial AI still sounds like science fiction, until you see what it can actually do.
In a recent conversation with Dr. Este Geraghty, Chief Medical Officer at Esri, one example had me doing a double-take.
By combining satellite imagery with AI, local governments can now automatically identify every handicap-accessible curb ramp across an entire city. No manual audits. No clipboards. No weeks of fieldwork.
The same approach is transforming disaster response. After a wildfire, AI can compare before-and-after satellite images, overlay parcel data, and estimate damage levels for individual homes. What once took weeks or months of on-the-ground inspections can now be done in about 15 minutes—while keeping inspectors out of dangerous conditions and helping communities begin recovery faster.
According to Dr. Geraghty, the real power here is making invisible infrastructure visible—accessibility features, damage patterns, risk zones—and using that clarity to support faster, safer decisions.
As she explained, this is just one example of how AI is being layered into GIS to shorten timelines and reduce friction, especially in moments where time, safety, and visibility matter most.
A personal note: I didn’t realize it at the time, but this was my final interview with Dr. Este Geraghty at Esri. She has since announced her retirement (well deserved). Dr. Geraghty was one of my first interviewees here at Healthcare IT Today, and from the very start she pushed me to be better. Her advice and feedback have been extremely valuable to me—on top of her deep, unwavering passion for GIS in healthcare. She made me a believer. Thank you, Dr. Geraghty, for your friendship, your knowledge, and your advice.
Learn more about Esri at https://www.esri.com/
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