Alphabet Inc Class CGoogle disabled its AI feature in Earth due to misuse, highlighting regulatory and reputational risks for its generative AI products.

Google disabled a new artificial intelligence feature in Google Earth less than a day after its launch, following demonstrations showing it could generate realistic but fictional satellite images of real-world locations, the New York Times reported. The experimental tool allowed users to alter aerial views by entering a text prompt, and it was quickly used to fabricate convincing images of disasters, military facilities, and conflict zones. Researchers and journalists showed how the feature could create realistic depictions of nuclear plants, flooded cities, burned forests, and war damage, raising concerns that fabricated satellite imagery could be mistaken for authentic evidence. Google removed the feature Friday, saying some users had shared AI-generated images in ways that violated company policies, and the company plans to add safeguards before making the capability available again. The incident highlights the growing challenge facing AI developers as they race to release new features while avoiding misuse, and it underscores the reputational and regulatory risks that accompany generative AI products built on widely trusted platforms.
Alphabet Inc Class CGoogle disabled its AI feature in Earth due to misuse, highlighting regulatory and reputational risks for its generative AI products.