Google's New AI Image Feature in Earth Suspended After Just One Day
Alphabet’s Google has pulled back an AI-based image creation feature it introduced in Google Earth just a day earlier, after users shared images that appeared to violate company policy. The feature, powered by Google’s Nano Banana 2 AI model, previously allowed users to create photorealistic images based on satellite, aerial, and 3D imagery from Google Earth simply by entering text prompts for any location worldwide. The feature drew criticism over its potential to spread disinformation, as it enabled users to create fake scenarios overlaid on real imagery of famous monuments and landmarks. “We have seen geospatial professionals using this feature for various beneficial purposes, but we also saw people sharing screenshots of AI-generated images that appear to violate our policies,” Google said via its X platform. It added that it is temporarily suspending the feature’s capability while it works on stronger guardrails. Google did not specify what types of images violated its policies. The company stated that the images did not appear in the main Google Earth view and were watermarked as AI-generated. As technology giants rush to integrate AI tools across their products, they are also having to adjust, limit, or temporarily disable these features in response to user abuse, disinformation, and policy concerns. Earlier this month, Meta also suspended Muse Image, an AI feature that allowed users to generate images using public Instagram accounts, following widespread criticism over privacy issues, including from Hollywood unions. The Google Earth AI feature allowed users to press a ‘Create Image’ button in the toolbar and enter a prompt to generate new visuals. While experiments showed potential for architectural visualisation and urban planning concepts, the AI struggled with historical accuracy and text generation. The tool appeared to work from screenshots rather than deep location data, making it more of a supplementary feature than a fully integrated professional tool.