Google nixes its Earth AI feature one day after launch, amid criticism it would spread misinformation
In Brief Posted: 12:47 PM PDT · July 31, 2026 Image Credits:Google Lucas Ropek Google nixes its Earth AI feature one day after launch, amid criticism it would spread misinformation Google rolled out a new feature on Thursday that allowed users to deploy Nano Banana 2, its AI image generator, to…
In Brief Posted: 12:47 PM PDT · July 31, 2026 Image Credits:Google Lucas Ropek Google nixes its Earth AI feature one day after launch, amid criticism it would spread misinformation Google rolled out a new feature on Thursday that allowed users to deploy Nano Banana 2, its AI image generator, to create fabricated images inside its satellite imagery mapping app Google Earth. The whole point of this feature, Google said, was to get creative with geography. But critics quickly pointed out that the tool could be used to create and spread misinformation. The tool, which was prompt-based and allowed pretty much any image to be superimposed over real maps, seemed like a recipe for a deluge of geospatial slop. “There’s no way that this new AI image generation feature on Google Earth, one of the most reliable sources of visual evidence for journalists and researchers, could possibly be abused to spread misinformation online,” a BBC journalist posted sarcastically Thursday. Now, only a day after the feature’s release, Google has scrapped it. “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 in a statement. “We’re rolling back this feature in Google Earth while we work on implementing stronger guardrails,” Google added. The criticism of Google’s tool is understandable, although it’s worth pointing out that, in the age of AI, most imagery that exists on the web can be easily manipulated. You don’t have to be a Photoshop whiz anymore to create semi-credible disinformation; you just need access to an AI image generator, which Google sells, as do many other AI firms. Topics AI, Google, google earth, In Brief October 13 – 15 San Francisco Scale faster. Grow your portfolio. Gain practical expertise. No matter your goal, Disrupt can empower you.Save up to $330 today! REGISTER NOW Newsletters See More Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news Related Social Reddit reports a solid quarter but shows signs of AI’s impact Lucas Ropek 1 day ago AI Friend, the lonely AI wearable, returns with a new voice and a much bigger price tag Lucas Ropek 1 day ago Security Google says it fixed more Chrome bugs in June than over the past two years, thanks to AI Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai 1 day ago Latest in AI In Brief OpenAI reportedly finds evidence that more of its agents ran amok Lucas Ropek 32 minutes ago Apps India is starting to pay for apps, not just download them Jagmeet Singh 2 hours ago In Brief Google nixes its Earth AI feature one day after launch, amid criticism it would spread misinformation Lucas Ropek 4 hours agoSource: TechCrunch — Published — Category: Business