Dana R. Thomson, Associate Director of Science Applications at CIESIN, and Alex de Sherbinin, CIESIN Director, participated in the AI Mapping for Urban Poverty Alleviation symposium, held April 29–30 at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) headquarters in Washington, D.C. The event brought together experts from UN-Habitat, regional development banks, the World Bank, leading research institutions, and major technology companies to advance the development of standardized, AI-enabled approaches for mapping informal settlements and urban deprivation.
Thomson helped design the symposium and represented the IDEAMAPS Network, which builds citywide deprivation datasets through partnerships between communities, local governments, and global experts. In her remarks, she likened data to the chassis of a car—essential but ineffective without the “engine” of local government leadership and the “fuel” of community engagement. de Sherbinin presented CIESIN’s urban data applications, highlighting the potential of AI and Earth Observation tools to inform more equitable and inclusive urban development. The symposium underscored the importance of co-production and local data ecosystems, and laid the groundwork for a global coalition to support better decision-making in cities. Next steps include drafting a shared vision paper and convening future meetings to engage additional stakeholders and formalize coalition goals.
