Key facts
- Google launched an AI image generation feature for Google Earth.
- The tool allowed users to create photorealistic images grounded in Google Earth's satellite imagery.
- Criticism arose due to the feature's potential for misinformation and creating fake scenarios.
- Google removed the feature after users shared screenshots of generated imagery that appeared to violate company policies.
- Google stated it is pausing the capability to implement stronger guardrails.
Alphabet's Google has rolled back an AI image-generation feature it introduced in Google Earth just one day prior, following user-shared images that appeared to violate company policies. The feature, powered by Google's Nano Banana 2 AI model, allowed users to generate photorealistic images based on Google Earth's satellite, aerial, and 3D imagery by typing text prompts for any global location.
The tool faced criticism for its potential to spread misinformation, as it enabled users to create fake scenarios overlaid on real imagery of monuments and landmarks. Google stated on X that while geospatial professionals found the feature useful, some users shared screenshots of generated imagery violating its policies. The company is pausing the capability to implement stronger guardrails. Google did not specify which images violated its policies, but noted they did not appear in the main Google Earth experience and were watermarked as AI-generated.