Using ML to identify buildings and empower communities: A Conversation with Google PM Aboulaye Diadack

In this episode, we dive into Google's Open Building's dataset with Abdoulaye, a research program manager at Google Research Ghana. Join us as we explore how this dataset is putting communities on the map. Informal settlements around the world often go unnoticed by traditional tools, making it challenging for governments and humanitarian groups to assess the population size and identify certain needs. Discover how the team at Google utilized machine learning to pinpoint the location and geometry of buildings in Africa and Asia, and learn why they made this valuable dataset accessible to the public. Abdoulaye shares insights on the project's implementation, its significance, and the cautious considerations involved in such an innovative initiative.

Correction: In this episode, Abdoulaye mentioned that he has been to Makoko. He has not actually been to Makoka. He lived in Lagos, and often drove past Makoko but never took the boat to actually visit the city.