ArchAI LTD

ArchAI is pioneering the use of artificial intelligence to detect, map and understand historical land use across the UK. By analysing aerial imagery, LiDAR, satellite data, and historic Ordnance Survey maps, we identify archaeological features and lost habitats that would otherwise remain hidden—helping decision-makers plan more effectively for development, conservation, and environmental restoration.

Founded by Iris Kramer during her PhD research, ArchAI bridges the gap between academic insight and practical application. Our technology has been used by national and local authorities, consultancies, and environmental organisations to support early-stage risk assessments, inform biodiversity net gain strategies, and prevent damage to the historic environment.

We offer national-scale mapping layers that capture traces of the past still visible in today’s landscape, such as ridge and furrow earthworks, historic woodlands, ponds, and field boundaries. This data provides crucial context for planners, archaeologists, ecologists and landowners working to balance development with environmental and cultural heritage goals.

Our approach is both scalable and nuanced. Unlike traditional methods, which rely on costly and time-intensive manual interpretation, our AI automates the detection of features at national scale—while retaining the precision needed to support site-level decisions. We’re not just making heritage visible; we’re making it actionable.

As we grow, ArchAI is expanding beyond archaeology to offer a wider view of land change through time. Our ‘Lost Habitats’ product, for example, shows how habitats like marshes, wetlands, and woodlands have shifted since 1900, identifying areas of loss, survival, and opportunity. This supports rewilding projects, river restoration, and sustainable land management efforts.

We work closely with partners across government, academia, and industry—including the Forestry Commission, National Trust, and leading heritage bodies—to align AI innovation with real-world needs. We also maintain a strong commitment to transparency, traceability, and responsible AI use in the heritage and environmental sectors.

At ArchAI, we believe understanding the past is essential to making better choices for the future. Whether informing local plans, guiding tree planting, or revealing hidden archaeological landscapes, our goal is to give people the tools to see what came before—so they can shape what comes next.