With the new year comes new trends that agencies, cities, and organizations need to be on top of to see success in the coming 12 months and beyond. When it comes to GIS and geospatial tools, do you know what to expect in 2023? Below we cover four of the most important GIS and geospatial trends that will influence several industries, including city wayfinding and defense.
1. AI and Machine Learning Will Provide More Insights
Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more commonplace in several industries, including geospatial solutions. Data processing can be an extremely time-consuming process. However, with AI, it now takes a fraction of the time as it can handle repetitive tasks, identify deviations in larger datasets, find patterns, and assist with training.
Instead of having a human handle all of this – something that can take months and comes with the possibility of error – AI can free up time for your employees to handle other pressing projects. AI will also be able to remove data that isn’t essential to a team’s work, allowing them to focus on the more critical aspects of the information before them.
In addition, machine learning will continue to make waves in the coming year, thanks to the advancement of technology. One example comes in the way of infrastructure sensors. This tech can help smart cities better read data related to traffic flow and pattern.
Complex models can be analyzed to help with development decisions, city growth, and more. AI can then be plugged in here to help predict what the future holds in traffic. AI and machine learning, therefore, will allow cities and organizations to focus more on efficiency, understanding data, sustainability, and ethics.
2. Advanced 3D Models Will Pave the Way to Better Analysis
Another technology that will continue to be essential in 2023 is 3D modeling. GIS is making advancements where not only will models be able to be visualized – as they were in the past – they will be able to be analyzed.
Terrain, water quality, biodiversity, and other data points will not only be numbers on a piece of paper. GIS tools will be better able to help you analyze this essential information in the 3D visualization itself, allowing you to make more informed decisions for your goals, budget, and other aspects of your work.
3. Real-time Data Will Be More Essential to Your Work
Data has always been a part of GIS and geospatial solutions, but in 2023 it will be more important than ever thanks to real-time data, big data, and analytics. The Internet of Things (IoT) will provide essential information on traffic, health, crime, and more from around the globe. This information can then be used to map out critical infrastructure, identify trends, and correct any issues the data displays – in real time.
4. New Resources Will Now Influence How You Approach GIS and Geospatial Solutions
GIS and geospatial solutions are taking advantage of other resources, including Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Computer Aided Drafting and Design (CAD). In the past, BIM and CAD worked on interior spaces while GIS worked on the exterior. While they were aware of each other’s work and knew just how important they were to the issue at hand, it was rare that the teams worked together.
However, 2023 will see that change. New tools, approaches, and resources will allow both teams, interior and exterior, to map out the plan and community together. This provides better cohesiveness in design, resilience, and the overall environment.
Undoubtedly, GIS and geospatial solutions will continue to make considerable advancements in 2023 as technology improves – and it’s exciting to see what the future holds. From AI to improved real-time data, plenty of trends will influence how you approach your work. Which do you see having the most influence on your current project?
We understand the importance of changing technology in GIS and geospatial solutions, and we’re always looking for resources that can better serve our partners. If you want to start 2023 off on the right foot for your current project, we’re here to help. City wayfinding is only one of the services we offer– if you’re ready to begin and want to know more about how we can assist with your custom city mapping, start here.