Google Earth disables AI imaging feature over misinformation risk

Google has temporarily disabled a new artificial‑intelligence tool in Google Earth that allowed users to generate photorealistic satellite‑style images from text prompts. The feature, launched on July 30, 2026, was intended for educational and creative use, but within 24 hours researchers demonstrated that it could be weaponised to create convincing depictions of military installations, refugee camps, bombings and other high‑impact events. Experts warned that the AI‑generated images, even with watermarks, could be easily stripped and shared on social media, undermining the credibility of geospatial data. Citing the potential for widespread misinformation, Google rolled back the tool, stating that the risk outweighed the benefits. The incident highlights challenges in policing user‑generated AI content in critical visual domains.