Just a day after launching a new AI image generation feature for Google Earth, Google pulled it down following intense backlash. The tool had allowed users to type prompts and overlay fabricated scenes on authentic satellite images, raising alarms among journalists and open-source investigators who rely on Google Earth for verifying real-world events.
The feature, using Google's Nano Banana 2 model, enabled anyone to create realistic but fake visuals on top of verified satellite, aerial, and 3D map data. Google had pitched it as a way to help users visualize history or plan real estate developments, but experts quickly warned that it would flood the internet with convincing geospatial misinformation. Open-source investigator Henk van Ess criticized Google for undermining the platform’s credibility after two decades of building a trusted reference.
Despite attempts to add safeguards, Google ultimately decided to pull the feature to rebuild it with stronger protections. The company has not confirmed when or if the tool will return. The controversy highlights growing concerns about AI’s role in generating false information, especially when linked to authoritative mapping platforms.
