Google introduced an AI tool named Nano Banana inside Google Earth on July 30, 2026, allowing users to create AI-generated images on top of real satellite views using simple text prompts. However, within 24 hours, the company disabled the feature after the internet quickly found ways to misuse it.
Designed as a creative and educational utility, Nano Banana let users visualize ideas like historical events or futuristic cityscapes directly over geographic locations. The images were watermarked and isolated from the main Google Earth experience, visible only to their creators to avoid misleading others.
Concerns Over Fake Satellite Imagery
Critics pointed out the potential for generating deceptive satellite images, such as fabricated military sites or altered borders, which could undermine the trust placed in Google Earth by journalists and analysts who rely on its geospatial data. Despite the safeguards, Google decided the reputational risks outweighed the tool’s benefits and removed it swiftly.
