Seems that this article is mostly about HOT (OpenStreetMap initiative) and high quality satellite images helping to bring to light various information that is otherwise hidden.  The AI component seems to be trying to use data to informe where a satellite should be facing at any given moment.  The idea is to use limited satellites to more accurately map changes to the surface of the earth.  But the article admits that AIs are not as helpful because as the author puts it:

 A difficult thing about a pandemic, though, is that during one most places on the planet are relevant all the time.