AI And Satellites Help Assess Myanmar Earthquake Damage - 1

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AI And Satellites Help Assess Myanmar Earthquake Damage

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit Mandalay which is Myanmar’s second-largest city on Friday leading to extensive destruction. In response, satellites and AI technology worked together to assess the damage and guide relief efforts, as first reported by Fortune .

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • The analysis of AI was delayed because satellite images were blocked by clouds.
  • AI detected 515 buildings that were completely destroyed and 1,524 buildings that suffered major damage.
  • The organization shared its findings with aid groups, including the Red Cross, to support their relief operations.

The AI for Good Lab, operated by Microsoft in partnership with Planet Labs, employed satellite imagery to rapidly determine which regions suffered the most damage.

Microsoft chief data scientist Juan Lavista Ferres said that the operation was initially difficult due to weather conditions. “The biggest challenge in this particular case was the clouds […]There’s no way to see through clouds with this technology,” he said as reported by Fortune.

New satellite images reached Microsoft’s team in Redmond, Washington after the clouds parted hours later. The team achieved better damage assessment results through their customized AI model, which they customized specifically for Mandalay analysis.

“The Earth is too different, the natural disasters are too different and the imagery we get from satellites is just too different to work in every situation,” Lavista Ferres explained, as reported by Fortune.

The AI analysis showed that 515 buildings were almost completely destroyed and 1,524 buildings suffered significant damage. Fortune explains that the data helps emergency response teams receive critical guidance from aid groups who need to direct their efforts.

“This is critical information for teams on the ground,” Lavista Ferres said, as reported by Fortune.

Microsoft claims that AI assessment results are valuable but need verification by personnel who are present on the ground, according to Fortune. The company has shared its findings with aid organizations, including the Red Cross, to help prioritize relief efforts..

Fortune reports that Planet Labs is currently operating 15 satellites, monitoring affected regions of Myanmar and Thailand to provide responders with up-to-date disaster impact information.

AI Cybersecurity Firm ReliaQuest Reaches $3.4 Billion Valuation After Raising $500 Million - 2

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AI Cybersecurity Firm ReliaQuest Reaches $3.4 Billion Valuation After Raising $500 Million

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

The American cybersecurity firm ReliaQuest informed this Monday that it raised over $500 million in a funding round, reaching a $3.4 billion valuation.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • ReliaQuest raised more than $500 million in a recent funding round, reaching a $3.4 billion valuation.
  • The new investment will be used to expand and develop its Agentic AI-driven cybersecurity automation technology.
  • The company’s software GreyMatter integrates over 200 cybersecurity tools and uses AI to detect, investigate, contain, and respond to cyber threats.

According to the press release , the recent funding round was led by FTV Capital, EWT, and KKR—the global investment firm that also led the previous round in 2020, which helped the AI-powered cybersecurity company achieve unicorn status with a $1 billion valuation.

ReliaQuest, founded in 2007, will use the funding for international expansion and to develop its Agentic AI-driven cybersecurity automation technology. The cybersecurity company has developed an AI-powered platform called GreyMatter—which integrates over 200 cybersecurity tools—to help security teams and Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) detect, study, contain, and respond to cyber threats quickly.

“Everything we have done at ReliaQuest has always been driven by the problem we solve for our customers. Enterprise security teams have more data in more places than ever before, and the speed of the threat is rapidly increasing,” said Brian Murphy, ReliaQuest founder and CEO. “CISOs need a way to contain threats within minutes without added cost or technical overhead, leveraging the latest innovations in Agentic AI.”

Since 2020, ReliaQuest has quadrupled its Annual Recurring Revenue and recently surpassed $300 million, reaching a profitability rate of over 30%. It currently has over 1,000 customers and more than 1,200 employees across six global centers.

“This new investment is a key step along our growth trajectory as a company, but most importantly it will allow us to deliver better security outcomes for even more CISOs around the world,” added Murphy.

The rise in cyberattacks and AI-powered threats has led more cybersecurity companies to develop advanced AI-driven technology systems to establish new partnerships with businesses on a global scale. The American cybersecurity company SailPoint raised $1.38 billion in February, reaching a $12 billion valuation.