Private Sector to Outpace Governments in $20 Billion Earth Intelligence Market
Earth intelligence is projected to generate more than $4.2 billion in annual revenue by 2030, up from nearly $3.8 billion in 2025.
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[Image source: Chetan Jha/MITSMR Middle East]
As Middle Eastern economies fast-track digital transformation and economic diversification, a new class of intelligence is emerging that could redefine how industries operate. Earth intelligence, the fusion of satellite data, AI, and real-time ground inputs is moving swiftly from government control into the hands of private enterprise. This shift is expected to unlock significant economic value across sectors such as energy, logistics, and urban development.
According to Gartner Inc., Earth intelligence is projected to generate more than $4.2 billion in annual revenue by 2030, up from nearly $3.8 billion in 2025. Between 2025 and 2030, the cumulative direct revenue opportunity for technology providers will approach $20 billion. These figures represent earnings from data, analytics services, and Earth intelligence software, not including broader business benefits like efficiency gains or cost savings.
Gartner defines Earth intelligence as the application of AI to Earth observation data, tailored to industry-specific use cases. This includes collecting and refining satellite and sensor data, then transforming it into actionable insights using AI-driven tools and models.
“The future of Earth intelligence will be won by the vendors that move quickly to develop technologies that make sense of the oceans of raw data they collect,” said Bill Ray, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner.
Use cases are expanding rapidly. “For example, vendors are leveraging satellites to pinpoint fallen trees blocking railroad tracks in a storm, monitor the temperature of every metal refinery to assess global production, count vehicles to analyze traffic patterns and consumer trends, and track sea cargo to evaluate shipping activity,” Ray said. “These unprecedented insights are delivering immense value, and new use cases are being discovered daily.”
Currently, governments dominate the collection and use of Earth observation data. But this is changing fast. Gartner predicts that by 2030, the private sector will outspend government and military users, accounting for over 50% of total Earth intelligence investment, up from less than 15% in 2024.
“As private technology and service providers begin to dominate Earth intelligence, they have the opportunity to sell data, models and applications to companies that lack the resources to analyze data for themselves,” Ray said. “This represents a massive business opportunity for technology product and service providers.”
New technologies are fueling this transition. Very low Earth orbit (VLEO) satellites, which are cheaper to build and launch, are increasing the frequency and resolution of Earth imaging. Some can revisit areas hourly and capture details as fine as 10 centimeters—sharp enough to spot a mouse.
“This is driving, and will continue to drive, massive amounts of Earth observation data,” Ray added. “Combining satellite data with ground sensors and drones enhances the value of Earth intelligence. This is where AI plays a critical role. Unlike many domains, there is a plethora of data. But that data needs to be engineered into fit-for-purpose information to feed industry- and function-specific AI models.”
As data becomes more accessible and AI capabilities evolve, Earth intelligence is poised to become a vital asset for private-sector innovation, efficiency, and competitive edge.
