{
  "id": 18141,
  "title": "Nuclear plants, Gaza craters: Google pulls AI tool from Google Earth in 24 hours",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/07/31/nuclear-plants-gaza-craters-google-pulls-ai-tool-from-google-earth-in",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-07-31T20:19:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/google-rolls-back-satellite-image-ai-tool-in-less-than-24-hours-after-launch-says-we-have-also-seen-people-sharing-screenshots/articleshow/132776694.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Google has swiftly removed a feature from its popular Google Earth platform following just 24 hours of its debut. The AI-generated satellite imagery tool, introduced on July 30, allowed users to create visualizations on top of satellite images with a simple click. However, researchers and open-source intelligence experts raised concerns about potential risks of disinformation that the feature posed. Google's decision to rollback the feature came as a response to these concerns, with the company stating it was designed to align with users' imaginations. The tool, powered by Google's Nano Banana 2 image-generation technology, enabled users to generate images based on Google Earth satellite, aerial, and 3D-mapping data. Despite being watermarked as AI-generated and placed within Google Earth without being visible to others, the generated images were found to violate policies. Experts warned that the feature could potentially lead to the spread of convincing fake satellite imagery, which could mislead the public and erode trust in satellite imagery data. Google countered these concerns by emphasizing the presence of SynthID digital watermarks in the generated images, which can be verified using the Gemini chatbot or Lens in Search.",
  "summary": "Google has removed its new AI image generation feature from Google Earth. This action followed immediate concerns raised by researchers about disinformation risks. Experts warned the tool could easily create convincing fake satellite imagery for public deception. Google stated they are implementing stronger safeguards while pausing the feature. The company noted generated images were watermarked…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 9,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Engadget",
        "title": "Google rolls back the needless AI generation tools it added to Google Earth",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/07/31/google-rolls-back-the-needless-ai-generation-tools-it-added-to-google",
        "published": "2026-07-31T19:08:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "TechCrunch",
        "title": "Google nixes its Earth AI feature one day after launch, amid criticism it would spread misinformation",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/07/31/google-nixes-its-earth-ai-feature-one-day-after-launch-amid-criticism",
        "published": "2026-07-31T19:47:28.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Ars Technica",
        "title": "Google Earth risked ruin with retracted AI tool for making fake satellite pics",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/07/31/google-earth-risked-ruin-with-retracted-ai-tool-for-making-fake",
        "published": "2026-07-31T20:21:05.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Android Authority",
        "title": "Google Earth slams the brakes on Gemini image generation for depressingly predictable reasons",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/07/31/google-earth-slams-the-brakes-on-gemini-image-generation-for",
        "published": "2026-07-31T20:26:48.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Economic Times Tech",
        "title": "Alphabet rolls back AI image generation in Google Earth over policy violations",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/01/alphabet-rolls-back-ai-image-generation-in-google-earth-over-policy",
        "published": "2026-08-01T01:10:35.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Mashable",
        "title": "Google rolls back AI Google Earth feature a day after launch",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/01/google-rolls-back-ai-google-earth-feature-a-day-after-launch",
        "published": "2026-08-01T14:48:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Digital Trends",
        "title": "Google Earth’s AI misadventure lasted only a day. It was a tale of dangerous ignorance.",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/01/google-earths-ai-misadventure-lasted-only-a-day-it-was-a-tale-of",
        "published": "2026-08-01T15:15:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Register",
        "title": "Google Earth's AI makeover survives one trip around the Sun",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/03/google-earths-ai-makeover-survives-one-trip-around-the-sun",
        "published": "2026-08-03T12:58:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}