At TED, Robbie Schingler Explores the Promise of Planetary Intelligence
Planet Labs Co-Founder Robbie Schingler outlined Planetary Intelligence at TED, describing how AI and satellite data enable real-time global monitoring to support decision-making and environmental adaptation.
In a 2018 TED talk, Planet CEO Will Marshall posed a question about using AI to track global change. Robbie Schingler revisited this idea at TED this year, presenting Planetary Intelligence as a system that merges satellite imagery with AI to transform awareness into actionable insights. The approach aims to help governments and organizations respond to 21st-century challenges by interpreting global shifts in real time. Schingler emphasized that this framework alters not just actions but also humanity’s understanding of its role within the planet’s systems.
Advances in satellite technology now provide high-frequency, high-resolution imagery, while AI enables rapid analysis of these vast datasets. Planetary Intelligence leverages these capabilities to detect changes such as new construction or shifts in land use with unprecedented speed and scale. The system is designed to bridge the gap between data collection and practical decision-making, offering a tool for monitoring environmental and societal transformations. Schingler’s presentation highlighted early applications already contributing to conservation and disaster response efforts.
A key milestone in this vision is Planet’s new agentic AI app, currently available at no cost during its beta phase. The tool integrates satellite data, AI-driven change detection, and public information into a map-based chat interface, delivering near-instant geospatial insights. Users can query the system to analyze trends or identify anomalies, such as tracking deforestation or urban expansion. The app’s design prioritizes accessibility, allowing non-experts to derive complex insights without specialized training. Planet describes this as a step toward making Planetary Intelligence widely usable across sectors.
To participate in the beta, interested users can join through Planet’s website, where a sales representative will assist in selecting appropriate products and pricing. The initiative reflects Planet’s broader goal of democratizing access to geospatial intelligence, enabling organizations of all sizes to harness satellite data for informed decision-making. The company positions this as part of a long-term strategy to embed Planetary Intelligence into global systems, supporting adaptive responses to environmental and societal challenges.