AI delivery bots maybe? It's basically an aggregate of "here's where it's possible/common to walk" so it's not useful for driving/flying AI. Also useful for marketing, knowing where foot traffic is.
The article says they're treating it as a Large Geospatial Model (like a Large Language Model), so it seems like you could use that as a predictive way to navigate between two points. With an LLM it spits out phrases based on context. The LGM would return paths based on context.
Wise actually worked with OC Remix on the DKC album!
It's fantastic to see an article like this in the Times. His work continues to be incredible, with more recent works like Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair and Gimmick 2.