2025 State of the Map Europe - MapSwipe Today and Its Future in OSM

I presented the talk MapSwipe Today and Its Future in OSM at State of the Map Europe in Dundee, Scotland on Friday, November 14th, at 3:30 pm in the Way room, as part of the Humanitarian block.

This talk is a follow up from a similar talk I gave at State of the Map US in Boston in June 2025. MapSwipe has had quite a bit of progress and change in the last year and there are some open community questions around moving forward with directly connecting the tool to the OpenStreetMap database, as well as an important dialogue around humans using the tool to validate machine learning models with a potential option to upload the validated datasets (most likely building footprints) directly to OpenStreetMap.

For this instance of the talk, I collaborated with Benni Herfort from the Heidelberg Institute of Geoinformation Technology (HeiGIT.) He unfortunately broke his foot about a week before the conference, so could not attend in person, but was able to dial in remotely. Hooray!

I hope you enjoy, and please reach out if you have any questions, or would like to be part of the discussion.

Talk synopsis #

MapSwipe is an application that enables crowdsourced data collection for OpenStreetMap and helps prioritize mapping efforts by identifying areas needing updates. This talk will explore future possibilities for expanding its role, including potentially allowing direct edits to OSM and strengthening ties with the OSM community for more seamless contributions.

MapSwipe is a mobile and web-based crowdsourcing tool that allows volunteers to identify where up-to-date mapping is needed, supporting OpenStreetMap (OSM) and humanitarian partners worldwide. Originally designed as a triage tool to help prioritize satellite imagery tasks, MapSwipe has grown and adapted based on user needs, partner input, and evolving workflows.

This talk will explore MapSwipe’s journey, from its early days, and its role in large-scale disaster preparedness and response. As we look ahead, new possibilities are emerging: could MapSwipe allow contributors to make direct edits to OSM? Help validate current OSM data and enter it back? Integrate AI and machine learning to improve accuracy, accessibility, or task design? What would that mean for data quality, contributor trust, and OSM’s broader ecosystem?

With growing discussions around AI-generated data and ethical mapping, it’s more important than ever to collaborate transparently with the OSM community. We aim to strengthen ties with mappers, developers, and data users to co-create a responsible future for MapSwipe. This session will share concepts in development, highlight open questions, and invite discussion and feedback on what comes next: for MapSwipe, OSM, and the future of crowdsourced humanitarian mapping.