Google pauses AI image generation in Google Earth after policy violations

Alphabet's Google said it was rolling back an AI image-generation feature introduced in Google Earth a day earlier after users shared images that appeared to violate company policies, Reuters reported. The feature, powered by Google's Nano Banana 2 model, let users generate photorealistic images grounded in Google Earth's satellite, aerial and 3D imagery from text prompts for any location. Critics flagged misinformation risk because users could create fake scenarios over real monuments and landmarks. Google said on X that geospatial professionals had used the tool for useful purposes, but people had also shared screenshots of generated imagery that appeared to violate its policies, and that it was pausing the capability while it works on stronger guardrails. The company did not specify which image types violated the rules. It said the images did not appear in the main Google Earth experience and were watermarked as AI generated. Reuters noted that large tech companies have had to adjust or temporarily disable AI features over policy and misinformation concerns, and that Meta earlier discontinued Muse Image after privacy criticism.