On Friday, July 31, 2026, Alphabet's Google announced it was rolling back an AI image-generation feature introduced in Google Earth just a day earlier. The feature, powered by Google's Nano Banana 2 AI model, allowed users to create photorealistic images based on Google Earth's satellite, aerial, and 3D imagery by entering text prompts for any location worldwide.

Google stated on X that while geospatial professionals used the feature for various useful purposes, some users shared generated images that appeared to violate company policies. The company did not specify the nature of these violations but confirmed the images were watermarked as AI-generated and did not appear in the main Google Earth experience.

Google is pausing the feature to implement stronger guardrails. This move reflects a broader trend among technology companies to adjust, restrict, or temporarily disable AI features amid concerns about misuse, misinformation, and privacy. For instance, earlier in July 2026, Meta discontinued its Muse Image AI feature, which generated images using public Instagram accounts, following criticism over privacy issues, including objections from a Hollywood union.

Sources