Journalism begins where hype ends

,,

We can only see a short distance ahead, but we can see plenty there that needs to be done.” "

—Alan Turing

Google Rolls Back Earth AI Tool After Fake Image Backlash

Disinformation researchers warned that the tool could be exploited to create realistic geospatial fakes on Google Earth, a platform relied upon worldwide for fact-checking and geolocation verification. The feature lasted less than a day.
Logo of Google Earth over view of earth and space clicked from Google satellite
August 2, 2026 03:21 PM IST | Written by Supriya Singh | Edited by Vaibhav Jha

Google on Friday rolled back a newly introduced Google Earth feature which allowed users to generate AI-created visualisations over the platform’s satellite imagery, after facing strong backlash from researchers and open-source intelligence experts who warned it could fuel disinformation.

“We have seen geospatial professionals using this feature for a range of useful purposes, however we have also seen people sharing screenshots of generated imagery that appear to violate our policies,” a google spokesperson mentioned in a statement to AFP. He highlighted that the company will be implementing stronger guardrails.

The “create image” tool unveiled on Thursday, integrated Google’s Nano Banana 2 image-generation technology into Google Earth, allowing users to zoom in on locations and generate AI-created visuals within seconds using the platform’s satellite, aerial and 3-D mapping data.

However, disinformation researchers warned that the tool could be exploited by malicious actors to create realistic geospatial fakes using Google earth, a platform widely relied upon for fact-checking and geolocation verification.

In a post on X Google said that people trust Google Earth for a reliable view of the world and also geospatial professionals use this feature for a range of useful purposes but it pointed out that people share screenshots of generated imagery which violate its policies.

 

“So we’re rolling back this feature in Google Earth while we work on implementing stronger guardrails. It’s important to note that generated images didn’t appear in the main Google Earth experience for others to see and were watermarked as AI generated,” the company stated on X.

Also Read: Google, Apple Challenge EU AI Assistant Rules, Cite Privacy and Security Risks

Authors

  • AI FrontPage Reporter Supriya Singh

    Supriya Singh is a Reporter at AI FrontPage covering the AI & Education and AI & Jobs beats. She brings six years of print and digital experience, including three years at The Asian Age, where she reported on higher education, Delhi government, and crime. She is based in Delhi-NCR.

    LinkedIn
  • Vaibhav Jha, editor and co-founder at AI FrontPage

    Vaibhav Jha is an Editor and Co-founder of AI FrontPage. In his decade long career in journalism, Vaibhav has reported for publications including The Indian Express, Hindustan Times, and The New York Times, covering the intersection of technology, policy, and society. Outside work, he’s usually trying to persuade people to watch Anurag Kashyap films.

    LinkedIn

Related Posts

LATEST NEWS