GeoAI, counter-AI, and human geography: A conversation

This conversation inaugurates a new venture for Dialogues in Human Geography in which we host a discussion on topics of concern to our readers. Inspired by the underlying ethos of the journal as a place for dialogue, this is neither an interview nor an article, but rather an opportunity to bring together people with a range of views. In this discussion, we begin by tackling the issue of artificial intelligence and machine learning in geography, sometimes called GeoAI (geographic artificial intelligence). What is at stake with this development? We discuss how the legacy of the critical GIS movement, and specifically what Renée Sieber calls ‘counter-AI’, may yet have a role to play. For Krzysztof Janowicz, geographers are just getting started with GeoAI and many exciting developments lie ahead. Yet both sound a note of caution about data representation, bias, and blackboxing algorithms, as well as the need for accountability and how, ultimately, critique should be situated. The conversation took place in July 2022, and has been edited for clarity.