AI-Powered Geolocation Tool Claims to Pinpoint Image Coordinates in Under 3 Minutes

A new artificial intelligence tool capable of determining the geographic coordinates of any uploaded image in under three minutes has emerged from the shadows of Reddit’s AI communities, raising urgent questions about digital privacy, surveillance, and the ethics of open-source geolocation technology. The tool, developed by an anonymous creator known only as Open_Budget6556, was first shared on r/artificial on November 2025, where it garnered rapid attention for its apparent accuracy and speed. According to the developer’s post, the system operates locally on user devices, avoiding cloud-based data transmission—a move designed to enhance privacy and circumvent regulatory scrutiny.

The tool, tentatively named "Netryx" by its creator, uses a combination of computer vision, satellite imagery matching, and environmental pattern recognition to analyze visual elements such as architecture, vegetation, shadow angles, and road layouts. By cross-referencing these features against open-source geospatial datasets—including OpenStreetMap, Google Earth imagery archives, and climate-specific terrain data—the algorithm reportedly narrows down location coordinates with remarkable precision. The developer claims the system can identify locations ranging from remote rural roads to dense urban centers, with an estimated success rate of over 85% for images containing discernible landmarks.

While the developer emphasizes responsible deployment and has opted for a waitlist model to control access, experts warn that such technology could be weaponized by bad actors. "This isn’t just about finding where a photo was taken—it’s about stripping away the anonymity of digital media," said Dr. Elena Voss, a digital ethics researcher at Stanford University. "If a single individual can geolocate any image with minimal technical skill, it fundamentally alters the assumption of privacy in public and private photography."

Notably, the tool’s development coincides with increasing regulatory pressure on AI-powered surveillance tools. In the European Union, the AI Act now classifies certain geolocation systems as "high-risk," requiring strict transparency and consent protocols. Meanwhile, in the United States, no federal law explicitly regulates AI-based image geolocation, leaving a legal gray zone. The developer has not disclosed the underlying training data or algorithms, citing intellectual property concerns—a stance that has drawn criticism from open-source advocates who argue that such powerful tools demand public auditability.

Compounding the controversy is the confusion surrounding the name "Built." Multiple companies operate under similar branding: Built Robotics specializes in autonomous construction equipment; Built Technologies provides cloud-based platforms for commercial real estate finance; and BUILT Protein Bars markets health supplements. None are affiliated with the geolocation tool, yet the naming overlap has led to accidental traffic and misattribution online. According to Built Technologies’ status page, a recent data import error affected commercial loan records—unrelated to the AI tool—but the similarity in names has fueled online misinformation.

As of early 2026, the waitlist for Netryx has surpassed 12,000 sign-ups, with users ranging from journalists and researchers to hobbyists and cybersecurity professionals. The developer has hinted at future monetization via tiered pricing, including a free tier for academic use and premium subscriptions for commercial applications. No public demo is available, and access is granted only via direct message on Reddit.

Legal scholars and civil liberties groups are urging tech platforms to preemptively address such tools before they become mainstream. "We’re on the cusp of a new era where every photo is a potential GPS pin," said Rebecca Lin, director of the Digital Rights Initiative at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. "The responsibility doesn’t lie solely with the developer—it lies with every platform that enables its spread."

For now, Netryx remains a shadow prototype—a quiet revolution in geospatial AI, waiting for its first users to unlock its potential, for better or worse.