Geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI) is rapidly reshaping how researchers and practitioners understand cities, communities, and socio-spatial inequalities. This talk introduces the three foundational pillars driving GeoAI’s growth in human geography: data, algorithms, and computational infrastructure, and traces their evolution from early quantitative geography to today’s machine learning and high-performance computing. Alongside new analytical opportunities, GeoAI also raises concerns around bias, privacy, fairness, and environmental costs. This session highlights emerging debates in human geography and offers a framework for integrating GeoAI in ways that are both innovative and socially responsible.
Dr. Yue Lin is Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography & Geographic Information Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her research examines how emerging geospatial technologies can be designed and used in ways that are ethical, socially responsible, and beneficial to humanity. More broadly, her interests span spatial data science, location privacy, and the societal implications of algorithmic systems.