I believe that anyone working in GIS really should not stay stagnant in knowledge regardless of years of experience. This is a tech job after all and like all tech jobs demands are always fluid and staying up to date with trends is key to remaining relevant and necessary. GIS won’t die, but the way we see and use it might. Cartographers before used to make maps by hand.
Hi again Matt. Per your points near the end about that GIS is a tool to help us understand the world, I agree with you - much of my video and essay content online focuses on the whys of where and encouraging people to be curious about the world, and to solve problems using GIS. I also think that the spatial perspective on problem solving, whether or not a person is using GIS, is key - especially when you consider all the energy, water, enviro, climate, crime, security, natural hazards, and other issues societies are dealing with including all the UN SDGs - health, education, and many more. We simply must use GIS as 1 essential tool to build a more resilient and sustainable world. In my way of thinking - GIS is changing - it is not dead - though I like your title to make people think - it is evolving - with AI and other tools - and it is going to be much easier to use with big data models and analytics in the future than it has been over the past 40 years. Thanks Matt.
I work in Aviation, I will never be able to trust hallucinating AI tools, nor should I. Automation is what we do, that's what GIS is and has been all about my entire career. This video seems intended to scare/aggravate people for interaction. I'm not a fan.
Thanks Matt. I liked what you commented near the end touching on spatial thinking and that there is a discipline called geographers where spatial thinking is near and dear to their hearts. I am seeing a widening of the interest in spatial thinking and geotechnologies across academia and society - data science, planning, sociology, even art, economics, business. The Whys of Where will always be an important set of questions on such a dynamic planet as Earth. I see GIS as more than the tools, though, combined with spatial thinking and problem solving, it is a community of practice, with some specialization. Sure, more and more people will be using "GIS tools" a few hours a week or month in perhaps another tool entirely such as PowerBI or SalesForce or R or something else, but there will continue to be those who have geo as their main focus and it is these folks who can provide leadership and insight to those who are not grounded in things like best practices for map projections or how to classify or symbolize in an unbiased way.
Some good insight thanks. Best advice I got in school was to never rely on GIS as an occupation, it is a powerful analysis tool and you need to combine with another discipline to get ahead and have a decent career. AI will become more commonplace in coming years but needs to become less of a block box for average GIS users.
Technology advancement is reality.But the fact related to this reality is that adaptation of community to these technologies is much slower than the invention.
Thank you for your video, and clear speaking and idea layout. I thought I would feel sad after watching this from the title, but I just finished a degree recently called Spatial Data Science. I have no job. It's a huge bummer. It's hard to keep up my skills while I apply and get rejected. I hear what you are saying, and how programming languages should help, and having a niche should help. I wonder if you could at all influence the people over there at USA jobs who create the job categories. What I might be just realizing after months (or a year) of getting rejections from these job applications, is that even with a graduate degree in GIS/Spatial Data Science/Geography, they might not by default consider that you have had all of the other math and statistics prerequisites in your undergrad... but it's not true! I have been making that assumption. I am only now starting to realize that with an engineering background, I have more technical skills than many actual "GIS Analysts" and "GIS Technicians" who seem to be using a lot of plug and play dashboard and web map stuff, but I think the novelty of the newer degree title "Spatial Data Science" is a turnoff, even if it is actually a subset of Geography! It's unfamiliar, and it doesn't fit into the USA jobs categories. Well, phew... I appreciate you doing the thought experiments on things geospatial, and I'll probably watch more of your vids in the future.
Planning on getting a degree in information science with a concentration in UX/UI and data science. Going to pursue a GIS minor because it’s interesting and I want to diversify my skills
I'm a CAD drafter that spent years drafting for land survey and landed by parachute on GIS. I saw that my background experience helped a lot but I feel kinda stranded where it left me. TBQH I never planed or wanted to make maps, it just happened.
I’m really thankful my GIS course uses Ai and the latest tech. I was worried I would be super lost but I feel confident in my knowledge when I’m on the field
I don't think it will die either but I think slowly it will be replaced bit by bit as tools currently being developed are fast outpacing what GIS can do today.
Fascinating! I'll have to rewatch this, as I clearly was too distracted the first time... What are we really saying is replacing it? And are people using GIS and ArcGIS interchangeably? Esri's stuff is a vast sea of bloat and outdated design, so I can see why that might die, but mostly I can see it being replaced by something newer and sleeker...
If you already have experience in GIS or a bachelor's degree in something applicable to GIS, then it all depends on what job you are looking for. If you already have experience and do not plan to go into a specialized niche (like Remote Sensing) then you do not need to get your masters at all. If you have your sites set on a specific job, reach out to someone who is in the position or something similar and ask if they were required to get it. I've been in the field going on 10 years and every one I've ever discussed getting a masters says don't do it. There are online programs that you can do to get more knowledge on a particular skill that you can do.
No, find a vertical you like (Emergency Management, Transportation Engineering, Business) and get a Masters in that, and then focus on Geospatial Analytics to support that vertical. I say this as someone who teaches Graduate classes in Geospatial Analytics @ Northeastern.
In my case it has been great for my career but because I learned to code applying it to gis but if not not there are very few jobs where I live without coding.
Automatic maps with AI prompts (with help of LLMs) will be the final nail for GIS. Of course utilizing GIS will still be needed but more for a developer standard. TLDR: Adapt or else
When the job title of data scientist became a high paying job, GIS became a subset of data science. This was almost a decade ago. I preach this to anyone who will listen. I instill a programmer’s mindset in interns and early career colleagues. The ignorance and “head in the sand” outlook of many late career professionals in GIS are either managers or in full-blown denial. If anyone is in the latter, someone will replace you and it’s not a question of “if” it’s “when”.
You are aware that this isn't how LLMs work and will never be possible unless the LLM actually understood what your data is and what you are trying to communicate, right? Have you ever once seen an AI generated image get text correct?
@@kevindonahue2251 Good to hear some positivity Kevin! Would you mind sharing some advice to someone trying to enter the field? For example what technologies/skills to focus on
Learn AutoCAD along the way. I started as a CAD Tech, moved to GIS after 3 years, and now develop GIS applications. Just last week an engineer handed off CAD data that the PM wanted added to his custom GIS Mapping application. If you don't learn programming, learn CAD to stand out.
I believe that anyone working in GIS really should not stay stagnant in knowledge regardless of years of experience. This is a tech job after all and like all tech jobs demands are always fluid and staying up to date with trends is key to remaining relevant and necessary. GIS won’t die, but the way we see and use it might. Cartographers before used to make maps by hand.
Agreed!
Hi again Matt. Per your points near the end about that GIS is a tool to help us understand the world, I agree with you - much of my video and essay content online focuses on the whys of where and encouraging people to be curious about the world, and to solve problems using GIS. I also think that the spatial perspective on problem solving, whether or not a person is using GIS, is key - especially when you consider all the energy, water, enviro, climate, crime, security, natural hazards, and other issues societies are dealing with including all the UN SDGs - health, education, and many more. We simply must use GIS as 1 essential tool to build a more resilient and sustainable world. In my way of thinking - GIS is changing - it is not dead - though I like your title to make people think - it is evolving - with AI and other tools - and it is going to be much easier to use with big data models and analytics in the future than it has been over the past 40 years. Thanks Matt.
I work in Aviation, I will never be able to trust hallucinating AI tools, nor should I. Automation is what we do, that's what GIS is and has been all about my entire career. This video seems intended to scare/aggravate people for interaction. I'm not a fan.
Sorry to hear that! Agree about automation but I think the new AI tools can help make that faster. A human still needs to make sure the code can run.
GIS is more like 'Geospatial Intelligence System' now. Remote sensing provides the raw intel, GIS analyzes the case!
Not a bad take!
Thanks Matt. I liked what you commented near the end touching on spatial thinking and that there is a discipline called geographers where spatial thinking is near and dear to their hearts. I am seeing a widening of the interest in spatial thinking and geotechnologies across academia and society - data science, planning, sociology, even art, economics, business. The Whys of Where will always be an important set of questions on such a dynamic planet as Earth. I see GIS as more than the tools, though, combined with spatial thinking and problem solving, it is a community of practice, with some specialization. Sure, more and more people will be using "GIS tools" a few hours a week or month in perhaps another tool entirely such as PowerBI or SalesForce or R or something else, but there will continue to be those who have geo as their main focus and it is these folks who can provide leadership and insight to those who are not grounded in things like best practices for map projections or how to classify or symbolize in an unbiased way.
So well put and exactly how I think about it!
I think It’s more likely evolving rather dying. Some of the software developers start panic about overwhelming progresses with ai. We’re no different.
Probably helped along by clickbait video titles like this one.
Definitely but I think the more traditional GIS will definitely shrink over time
What about roles like GIS Back-End Developer that using tools like Python, GeoDjango, and GeoPandas?
Those are definitely great paths!
I search keyword Geodjango for job positions in Canada, and got no one 😂
Some good insight thanks. Best advice I got in school was to never rely on GIS as an occupation, it is a powerful analysis tool and you need to combine with another discipline to get ahead and have a decent career. AI will become more commonplace in coming years but needs to become less of a block box for average GIS users.
where's the link to that QGIS tracing plugin?
Search for Bunting Labs
Technology advancement is reality.But the fact related to this reality is that adaptation of community to these technologies is much slower than the invention.
Very true!
Thank you for your video, and clear speaking and idea layout. I thought I would feel sad after watching this from the title, but I just finished a degree recently called Spatial Data Science. I have no job. It's a huge bummer. It's hard to keep up my skills while I apply and get rejected. I hear what you are saying, and how programming languages should help, and having a niche should help. I wonder if you could at all influence the people over there at USA jobs who create the job categories. What I might be just realizing after months (or a year) of getting rejections from these job applications, is that even with a graduate degree in GIS/Spatial Data Science/Geography, they might not by default consider that you have had all of the other math and statistics prerequisites in your undergrad... but it's not true! I have been making that assumption. I am only now starting to realize that with an engineering background, I have more technical skills than many actual "GIS Analysts" and "GIS Technicians" who seem to be using a lot of plug and play dashboard and web map stuff, but I think the novelty of the newer degree title "Spatial Data Science" is a turnoff, even if it is actually a subset of Geography! It's unfamiliar, and it doesn't fit into the USA jobs categories. Well, phew... I appreciate you doing the thought experiments on things geospatial, and I'll probably watch more of your vids in the future.
Planning on getting a degree in information science with a concentration in UX/UI and data science. Going to pursue a GIS minor because it’s interesting and I want to diversify my skills
Awesome!!
Thanks Matt,
Very helpful
Happy to help!
We should have to make a commitment for taking hand on adaptation rather than seeking or changing patterns of technologies
Good call!
I'm a CAD drafter that spent years drafting for land survey and landed by parachute on GIS. I saw that my background experience helped a lot but I feel kinda stranded where it left me. TBQH I never planed or wanted to make maps, it just happened.
I have heard of that happening before
I’m really thankful my GIS course uses Ai and the latest tech. I was worried I would be super lost but I feel confident in my knowledge when I’m on the field
Great to hear!
Gis will not die it will cover many new areas , now a days it is covering 1100 areas from medical to engg it is not only for geo .
I don't think it will die either but I think slowly it will be replaced bit by bit as tools currently being developed are fast outpacing what GIS can do today.
GIS is a few NLP papers away from being traditionally dead
GenAI is definitely going to make a big dent
Fascinating! I'll have to rewatch this, as I clearly was too distracted the first time... What are we really saying is replacing it? And are people using GIS and ArcGIS interchangeably? Esri's stuff is a vast sea of bloat and outdated design, so I can see why that might die, but mostly I can see it being replaced by something newer and sleeker...
He's saying GIS will be replaced by more GIS. It's a pretty pointless video.
Stay tuned working on that!
Thanks for the talk
Appreciate it!
Should I get my masters in GIS or Remote Sensing?
If you already have experience in GIS or a bachelor's degree in something applicable to GIS, then it all depends on what job you are looking for. If you already have experience and do not plan to go into a specialized niche (like Remote Sensing) then you do not need to get your masters at all. If you have your sites set on a specific job, reach out to someone who is in the position or something similar and ask if they were required to get it. I've been in the field going on 10 years and every one I've ever discussed getting a masters says don't do it. There are online programs that you can do to get more knowledge on a particular skill that you can do.
@@CatCronlund Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience with me, truly appreciate it.
No, find a vertical you like (Emergency Management, Transportation Engineering, Business) and get a Masters in that, and then focus on Geospatial Analytics to support that vertical. I say this as someone who teaches Graduate classes in Geospatial Analytics @ Northeastern.
In my case it has been great for my career but because I learned to code applying it to gis but if not not there are very few jobs where I live without coding.
There are some great answers in this thread!
Automatic maps with AI prompts (with help of LLMs) will be the final nail for GIS. Of course utilizing GIS will still be needed but more for a developer standard.
TLDR: Adapt or else
When the job title of data scientist became a high paying job, GIS became a subset of data science. This was almost a decade ago. I preach this to anyone who will listen. I instill a programmer’s mindset in interns and early career colleagues. The ignorance and “head in the sand” outlook of many late career professionals in GIS are either managers or in full-blown denial. If anyone is in the latter, someone will replace you and it’s not a question of “if” it’s “when”.
You are aware that this isn't how LLMs work and will never be possible unless the LLM actually understood what your data is and what you are trying to communicate, right? Have you ever once seen an AI generated image get text correct?
Wow great points!
The change is definitely taking place!
G is Google，I is Intelligent，S is Service. That is all about GIS.
????
Matt, I worry that you won't get comped for the UC ...
Nice content 💯
Thanks 💯
The moderator contradicts himself. Too unconcise information. At 6:15 to 6:25 GIS related jobs are expected to grow. 🤔
Damn my GIS program just started 3 months ago ....
Same. I think we are in a good position to grow within as the industry adapts and won’t deal with as much complacency.
Ignore this video, it's obvious click bait. The industry is expanding faster than ever, it's a struggle for us to hire new people at our firm.
@@kevindonahue2251 Good to hear some positivity Kevin! Would you mind sharing some advice to someone trying to enter the field? For example what technologies/skills to focus on
Learn AutoCAD along the way. I started as a CAD Tech, moved to GIS after 3 years, and now develop GIS applications. Just last week an engineer handed off CAD data that the PM wanted added to his custom GIS Mapping application. If you don't learn programming, learn CAD to stand out.
It’s a great field but make sure to learn a wide range of skills and some programming too