Description
At Geospatial World Forum 2026, Damian Spangrud, Managing Director of Esri, explores how geography, GIS, digital twins, and AI are reshaping the future of governments, industries, and society.
In this thought-provoking keynote, he explains why geography remains one of humanity’s most powerful tools for understanding the world — and why spatial computing is becoming the foundation of the machine-driven era. From sovereign GIS and hybrid cloud infrastructure to digital twins, GeoAI, and autonomous systems, he outlines how geospatial technologies are evolving from static mapping systems into intelligent, living infrastructures powering both humans and machines.
He discusses the growing importance of geospatial intelligence for sovereignty and governance, the evolution of GIS into enterprise-scale spatial infrastructure, and the rise of hybrid geospatial ecosystems. He also explores how digital twins, AI, and autonomous systems are transforming cities, infrastructure, and decision-making, while emphasizing the long-term value of trusted, living digital twins.
Highlighting decades of transformation across the geospatial industry, Damian Spangrud emphasizes that spatial thinking is no longer niche — it is becoming essential infrastructure for the future of economies, organizations, and society itself.
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#GeospatialIntelligence #NSDI #SovereignGIS #ArtificialIntelligence #AgenticAI
#DigitalInfrastructure #Geography #Esri #Geospatial #Amsterdam2026