What happened when Google launched and then quickly rolled back an AI image generation feature in Google Earth that allowed users to superimpose AI generated imagery over real satellite maps, what specific examples of fabricated geospatial misinformation did researchers produce w

Concerns raised by journalists and open-source investigators

• Henk van Ess said the tool "welded invented imagery to genuine coordinates, drawn on genuine imagery," and that "the forgery does not have to look convincing on its own. It inherits the credibility of the map it was born on" .
• Investigative reporter Ben Heubl wrote on LinkedIn that the tool could easily create images of drone strikes that look "very close to what we've seen in Ukraine, Russia, the Middle East, and other war-torn conflict zones" .
• Brady Africk (research analyst, American Enterprise Institute) noted these fakes are "anchored to real maps, making them far more dangerous than generic AI images" .
• AI-detection researcher Henry Ajder warned that fake imagery in fast-moving conflict zones could be particularly "destabilising," and that "spaces assumed to be unblemished by AI are valuable, particularly for journalists and people trying to do work on the frontlines of rapidly evolving crisis scenarios" .

Safeguards Google claimed were in place

• Google said every AI-generated image includes a SynthID digital watermark, and users could check if an image was AI-generated by asking the Gemini app or using Google Lens .
• Guidelines built into the AI model were supposed to prevent imagery depicting "harmful topics" .

Why critics found those safeguards insufficient

• BBC Verify found that while the SynthID watermark generally worked, it was possible to circumnavigate the checks and trick Gemini into saying fake Google Earth images were real. External AI detection tools also sometimes failed to identify the Google Earth AI content .
• Small changes to prompts could bypass the content guidelines. For example, a request for a "raised platform to hang traitors" near Parliament was rejected, but a less specific prompt was accepted .
• The watermark only works if users actually check it — in practice, images can be downloaded and shared on other platforms where the watermark is easily stripped or ignored .

Broader concern about the role of satellite imagery in verification

Bill Greer (geospatial analyst and co-founder of Common Space) told BBC Verify: "This is potentially particularly damaging to public trust because satellite imagery has historically been seen as an especially trustworthy source of data" . He noted that falsified satellite imagery has already been used to spread misinformation, and with governments restricting data access, "we're likely to see more false images, and fewer real images which will further erode trust" . Henry Ajder added that the feature was "another place where sources of trusted information are being eroded by the constant doubt that AI might be involved" .

Google's statement explaining its reversal

"We've seen geospatial professionals using this feature for a range of useful purposes, however we've also seen people sharing screenshots of generated imagery that appear to violate our policies. We know that people uniquely trust Google Earth for a reliable view of the world. We are rolling back this feature in Google Earth while we work on implementing stronger guardrails."

-- Google, July 31, 2026