GeoAI and the Law Newsletter

Tracking Developments in AI Laws and Regulations for Geospatial Professionals

Mar 04, 2026

The Importance of a Geospatial AI Governance Body of Knowledge

I recently reviewed the Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional (AIGP) Body of Knowledge and Exam Blueprint, published by the International Association of Privacy Professionals, in anticipation of becoming AIGP certified. The AIGP covers technical, legal, operational, policy, and ethical issues, highlighting that effective AI governance requires cross-disciplinary coordination and professionals willing to venture outside their comfort zones.

Given the uniqueness of geospatial data as compared to other types of data used to train models (its power, versatility, numerous types), the wide range of applications that use geospatial information, the increased focus on world models, and the complexity of the legal and governance issues, I decided to begin creating an ancillary Body of Knowledge for Geospatial AI Governance to be used in conjunction with the AIGP Body of Knowledge. Geospatial organizations occupy complex roles in the AI value chain, often simultaneously acting as developers, deployers, and users of AI-enabled services. This demands governance across the entire lifecycle: from use-case definition and data sourcing through training, testing, deployment, monitoring, and system retirement. In the domain, where models must continuously evolve to address new geospatial information sources and types, update map features, and novel applications using geospatial information, these governance obligations require sustained attention.

With global standards and AI-specific regulations now classifying risk levels and imposing escalating compliance obligations, geospatial professionals must apply risk-based governance approaches that remain jurisdiction-aware and technology-agnostic. By adapting established AI governance domains to the specific context of spatial data and analytics, this body of knowledge can help provide accountability obligations as regulatory landscapes continue to evolve.

This is very much a work in progress. So, I welcome your comments and plan to update it periodically as technology, applications, and the law continue to develop.