Platforms for Making Deep Learning Easier for GIS

While so-called'deep learning' methods, that is machine learning techniques that use layered, artificial neural networks, to perform learning of unstructured data, has gained great popularity in research in the last few years, its integration within GIS is not always easy without specialist knowledge. New tools, however, are being and have been developed that potentially will allow a wider field of researchers to better take advantage of machine learning and deep learning specifically. So far, two clear leaders have emerged. ArcGIS has spent significantly in recent years to develop better tools for deep learning. They have used a variety of platforms that have been developed for imagery analysis, such as Keras and Tensorflow which are popular deep learning platforms, and have integrated them with ArcGIS Pro tools, such as ArcGIS Image Server.