Mountain View, California: Google has temporarily disabled a newly introduced artificial intelligence (AI) image-generation feature in Google Earth after users created and shared AI-generated images that appeared to breach the company’s content policies.
The feature, launched just a day earlier, was powered by Google’s Nano Banana 2 AI model. It allowed users to create highly realistic images of virtually any location on Earth by entering text prompts. The system used Google Earth’s satellite, aerial, and 3D mapping data to generate customized scenes.
However, the tool quickly attracted criticism over its potential to spread misinformation. Users demonstrated that it could be used to generate fabricated events and altered scenes involving real landmarks, monuments, and public locations, raising concerns about the authenticity of visual content.
In a statement posted on X, Google said it had seen many constructive uses of the feature by mapping and geospatial professionals but had also identified examples of generated images that appeared to violate its policies.
“We’ve seen geospatial professionals using this feature for a range of useful purposes; however, we’ve also seen people sharing screenshots of generated imagery that appear to violate our policies,” the company said.
Google announced that it is pausing the feature while engineers develop stronger safeguards and additional safety measures to prevent abuse.
The company emphasized that the AI-generated images were not displayed in the standard Google Earth interface and were clearly marked with an AI-generated watermark to distinguish them from authentic satellite imagery. Google did not specify which types of generated content violated its policies.
The move reflects a broader trend across the technology industry, where companies are introducing generative AI tools while simultaneously addressing concerns over misinformation, deepfakes, privacy, and responsible AI use.
Earlier this month, Meta also withdrew its Muse Image feature after facing criticism over privacy issues. The tool allowed users to generate AI images using public Instagram accounts, prompting objections from privacy advocates and a Hollywood labor union.
Google’s decision to suspend the Google Earth AI image generator highlights the growing challenge of balancing innovation with user safety. The company says it plans to reintroduce the feature once more robust safeguards are in place to prevent misuse while preserving its value for legitimate users.
