Because of their ability to generate articles, data, and emails, AI bots such as ChatGPT are continuing to attract attention. Generative artificial intelligence tools have the potential to merge datasets and streamline operations for storage companies.
For example, analysts at HawkEye 360 utilize programming code to search the bank’s virtual repository of radio frequency signals more efficiently through natural language queries.
During the Satellite Innovation 2023 event in Mountain View, California, Kaitlin Zimmerman, the data scientist at HawkEye 360, requested, “Show me the illegal hunting activities in this specific region of the world.” This query could trigger a response that accesses their database and retrieves the relevant data.
In a similar vein, Orbital Sidekick, a spectral imaging company, empowers employees to utilize advanced AI to explore the bank’s image database and tasking schedule.
Andrew Guenther from Orbital Sidekick and Kaitlin Zimmerman from HawkEye 360 engaged in discussions about Artificial Intelligence at Satellite Innovation. Credit: Innovation in satellites.
According to Andrew Guenther, the lead software engineer at Orbital Sidekick, “It serves as a powerful tool for us to observe how our teams interact with these systems.”
Guenther and his team not only monitor the information people seek but also pay attention to unanswered queries. At the Satellite Innovation event, Ernst mentioned, “They articulate their objectives precisely, and we can capture that.”
Evolution of Roles
Storage companies have increasingly turned to machine learning algorithms to automate tasks, expedite data transfers, and identify anomalies on satellites. These traditional AI systems can be meticulously planned and rigorously tested.
In contrast, generative AI employs deep learning models to recognize patterns in large datasets of text or images, generating outputs based on historical and predictive trends.
During the MilSat Symposium in October in Mountain View, Steven Truitt, the principal program director for Microsoft Azure Space, emphasized that “generative AI has truly made a significant impact.” This technology is poised to revolutionize the entire space industry’s operations.
This advancement could lead to enhanced integration of diverse data through machine-to-machine communication.
Guy de Carufel, the CEO of Cognitive Space, a company specializing in automated satellite operations, envisions that conceptual AI will enable poorly defined APIs to communicate effectively with each other, facilitating seamless data transfer services.
Generative AI is not only set to transform operational workflows within space companies but also reshape customer interactions.
Truitt believes that it will fundamentally alter the functioning and public perception of their organizations, creating a ripple effect.
Addressing Complex Challenges
For instance, the sheer volume of data generated by Earth observation sensors overwhelms users of Esri’s ArcGIS web-based monitoring platform.
Richard Cooke, the global business development director at Esri, highlighted during the World Satellite Business Week conference in Paris in September that “it’s impossible to manage all the data.” Collaborative efforts between Synthetaic and various entities will pave the way for broader adoption of generative AI. Eventually, each of these satellites will function as a global nervous system.
Cooke envisions that when the sensor data is interconnected, it will resemble neurons firing in the brain. This rapid data processing will inform decisions swiftly, enhancing business strategies, policy-making, and overall productivity.
Synthetaic, a Wisconsin-based AI company, demonstrated the potential of generative AI by tracking the trajectory of a Chinese weather balloon shot down by the U.S. Air Force using social media reports and Planet satellite imagery.
Corey Jaskolski, the founder and CEO of Synthetaic, highlighted at the World Satellite Business Week that generative AI promises “dramatic transparency.” This technology will unveil previously obscured insights within satellite data.
The radical transparency enabled by conceptual AI could aid in tackling intricate challenges.
Relational AI, for instance, could amalgamate satellite and ground data post-natural disasters to identify damaged communication networks and transportation infrastructure, assess available resources, and recommend emergency response strategies.
Implementation Strategies
Furthermore, conceptual AI has the potential to simulate future scenarios.
In a collaboration with the Italian Earth analytics firm Latitudo 40, Amazon Web Services is assisting urban planners in modeling new settlements to minimize their environmental impact using conceptual AI and Earth observation data.
Alan Campbell, the principal space products solutions architect at AWS, emphasized at Satellite Innovation that new urban developments could significantly reduce their carbon footprint by leveraging conceptual AI and Earth observation data.
Potential challenges are also being scrutinized by proponents exploring the applications of generative AI.
Businesses utilizing large language models to simplify database queries must implement safeguards to ensure that users only access information they are authorized to view.
Zimmerman stressed the importance of reviewing security protocols to segregate datasets and establish strict boundaries to prevent unauthorized data exposure.
Hallucination, where conceptual AI models fabricate data in gaps of Earth visuals, poses a significant concern. Deliberate data manipulation could lead to the creation of deep fakes.
During the Economist Space Summit in Los Angeles, Sue Gordon, former principal deputy director of national intelligence, cautioned that AI could play a pivotal role in national security. She underscored the necessity for enhanced security measures, including data protection, to counter potential threats.
An executive order issued by the Biden administration on October 30 reiterated these concerns, emphasizing the risks posed by AI to critical infrastructure systems and directing research on enhancing security measures at the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security.
Envisioning Intervention
Military experts recognize the vast potential of both classical and relational AI.
According to retired U.S. Air Force Major General Kim Crider, AI can bolster electronic warfare defenses by analyzing extensive datasets and identifying patterns of interference.
Speaking at the MilSat Symposium, Crider, a founding partner at the consultancy Elara Nova, highlighted that machines aid in pinpointing the origins and predicting the nature of disruptions. This predictive capability could foresee the locations of disturbances, presenting both challenges and opportunities. Advancements in AI, classical AI, and other technologies are essential to propel us to the next frontier.
