Google's PDFM location embeddings improve five global public health tasks

Google Research reports that Population Dynamics Foundation Model (PDFM) embeddings, built from search trends, mobility, built environment, and weather signals, were tested by partners across five public health tasks.

The embeddings improved results in cross-border MMR vaccination coverage, dengue forecasting, postpartum depression screening, and cholera outbreak prediction, and matched census inputs for cardiovascular mortality nowcasting.