Earth observation: From data to insights

Research evidence excerpt

Earth observation: From data to insights

Barclays | Thematic Investing

customers. This is consistent with our broader view that adoption is being driven by end-market

requirements rather than incremental improvements in data supply.

2) AI is making EO data more accessible

AI is increasingly influencing how EO data is used. We questioned how the use of AI would shift

the ownership of value creation, as there is an argument that either earth observation

companies or customers could deploy AI to generate insights. Planet’s positioning remains

centred on data provision; however, customers are increasingly able to apply AI/ML to extract

insights without requiring specialist GIS expertise. Which, in their experience, reduces the

barrier to entry and supports wider adoption across end-markets. Interestingly, this does not

represent a shift in Planet’s core product towards analytics. Instead, it reflects a change in how

customers interact with the data, which may support increased usage over time. The

implication is that AI is acting as an enabler of demand, rather than a driver of value capture

moving up the stack.

3) Subscription model creates customer stickiness

To capture the specific needs of customers, over the past few years we have seen a shift towards

subscription-based access to data, rather than purchasing one-off imagery. Planet highlighted

that contracts are increasingly structured with upfront payments, improving cash flow visibility

and capital efficiency. Contracts may be structured according to the size of location needing

surveillance, the resolution and frequency of revisits. At a broader industry level, this suggests

EO is beginning to resemble other data-driven markets, where recurring access and integration

into workflows underpin monetisation.