Google withdraws satellite image AI feature after concerns over misuse

Google has pulled back a recently added artificial intelligence feature in Google Earth after concerns that it could be used to generate deceptive satellite images, according to reports on Thursday and Friday. The change affected a tool that let users edit aerial scenes with AI prompts.

The feature had allowed people to make changes to satellite views, including adding or altering objects in a landscape. Critics said that capability raised the risk of fabricated imagery that could appear authentic.

Google moved quickly to reverse the rollout after the backlash, the reports said. The company did not immediately provide a detailed public explanation for the decision.

Google Earth remains one of the company’s main mapping products, and the episode adds to wider debate over how generative AI tools should be limited when they can produce realistic visual content.