Google Earth Gets Custom Classification Tool Without Coding

Google has unveiled a new classification tool in Google Earth that allows users to create custom categorical maps without requiring specialized expertise or coding skills. The tool uses an underlying dataset of 'Satellite Embeddings' generated by AlphaEarth Foundations, which captures land surface and environmental properties at a 10-meter resolution.

To use the tool, users draw a boundary around their area of interest, define categorical classes, and label sample points. The classifier then trains on these inputs and generates a custom classification layer across the landscape with zero coding required.

The technology underpinning the tool is based on one of the world's most cutting-edge geospatial technologies, the annual AlphaEarth Foundations Satellite Embedding dataset. This dataset summarizes an entire calendar year, making it ideal for tracking seasonal vegetation dynamics and surface textures.