Google Next AI Move: Extreme Heat Alerts & Tree Canopy Tool

We used to know about extremely hot weather either by listening news or by weather information displayed on our smart devices. But we never get any warning.

Google came up with a big AI idea to assist people in remaining safe during intense heat waves by introducing a new tool to its search engine called “Extreme Heat Alerts,” providing them with alerts to take necessary precautions to stay safe during extreme heat.

Google has already worked on providing alerts for natural calamities like earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes, etc. But the rising global search interest for heat waves made it to expand this service.

The company revealed it in a blog post, saying that the new function is part of its broad efforts to help users to get accurate and timely information. For that, google is collaboratively working with the Global Heat Health Information Network.

When any user searches for anything related to extreme heat, a heat alert will be displayed at the top of the search result page, providing information regarding when a heat wave is expected to start and end. The alerts will be triggered when the local temperature surpasses the threshold limit.

Additionally, Google will suggest how to remain cool in the extreme heat, like staying at home (air-conditioned), drinking more water, wearing loose and light-colored clothing to avoid the albedo effect, and avoiding tough physical activities during hot hours.

Now the firm has expanded its work on the “Tree Canopy” tool, which combines AI and aerial images to help cities to track their current tree coverage and take urban forestry initiatives for improvement.

About 350 cities worldwide now have access to the technology, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Buenos Aires, Lisbon, Mexico City, Paris, Sydney, Toronto, and others.

In the upcoming year, Google plans to expand this technology to thousands of other cities.