The feature, driven by Google’s Nano Banana 2 AI model, enabled users to create photorealistic images based on Google Earth’s satellite, aerial, and 3D visuals by entering a text prompt for any location worldwide.
This tool faced backlash due to its capacity for misinformation, as it allowed users to fabricate scenarios on top of actual images of landmarks and monuments.
“While we’ve observed geospatial professionals utilizing this feature for various constructive purposes, we’ve also come across users sharing screenshots of generated imagery that seem to breach our policies,” Google stated on X, noting that it would be pausing the feature while they develop more robust safety measures.
Google did not clarify the specific types of images that violated its policies. The contested images did not appear in the primary Google Earth interface and were marked as AI-generated.
As tech giants hurried to embed AI tools in their offerings, they’ve had to adapt, impose restrictions, or temporarily disable features in response to issues relating to user violations, misinformation, and policy implications.
Earlier this month, Meta halted Muse Image, an AI feature that permitted users to generate images using public Instagram accounts, following significant criticism regarding privacy issues, including from a Hollywood union.Also Read: AI agents fail to produce publishable research papers in new study
