Alphabet rolls back AI image generation in Google Earth over policy violations

SAN FRANCISCO - Alphabet’s Google said on July 31 it was rolling back an AI image-generation feature it had introduced in Google Earth just a day ago, after users shared images that appeared to violate the company’s policies.

The feature, powered by Google’s Nano Banana 2 AI model, had allowed users to generate photorealistic images grounded in Google Earth’s satellite, aerial and 3D imagery by typing a text prompt for any location on the globe.

The tool had come under criticism for its potential for misinformation as it allowed users to create fake scenarios on top of real imagery of monuments and landmarks.

“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,” Google said on X, adding that it was pausing the capability while it works on stronger guardrails.

Google did not specify what types of images violated its policies. It said the images did not appear in the main Google Earth experience and were watermarked as AI generated.

While tech giants have rushed to integrate AI tools across their products, they have had to adjust, restrict or temporarily disable features in response to user violations, misinformation and policy concerns.

Meta earlier in July discontinued Muse Image, an AI feature that allowed users to generate images using public Instagram accounts, after drawing widespread criticism over privacy concerns, including from a Hollywood union. REUTERS