Google Pulls AI-Generated Satellite Image Tool Amid Deepfake Fears

Google announced that it is disabling the one-click “create image” feature on Google Earth that let users type a prompt and receive an AI-generated satellite view.

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Open-source investigators warned that the tool could enable rapid production of fabricated satellite pictures, potentially misleading analysts who rely on such imagery to verify conflicts, humanitarian crises, and other events. Demonstrations included fictitious fires on Iran’s Kharg Island and a flooded U.S. Capitol complex—scenarios that would have been reported as breaking news if real. The ease of creating such images raises the risk that governments or malicious actors could dispute authentic satellite evidence, eroding public trust.

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In a statement posted on X, Google emphasized that it “takes misinformation seriously,” noting that all AI-generated outputs carry a SynthID watermark to flag them in other Google tools such as Gemini. The company also said it blocks image creation on “harmful topics” and is continuously updating its protections while the feature is offline.

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Researchers highlighted the lack of internal red-team testing and the boundless potential for abuse. One analyst described the situation as “horrifying” for those who depend on satellite data to verify events in hard-to-reach areas. Another warned that the streamlined process could cause misinformation to spread faster than corrections, and that future iterations might embed fakes directly into the verification workflow.

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• “We've seen geospatial professionals using this feature for a range of useful purposes,” — Sponsor Message If Google

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• “Just zoom in to a place in Google Earth on web (sic), tap 'create image,' and type whatever you want to see,” — Bryan Horowitz, a product manager

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• “I tried refugees at the Mexican border, a nuclear plant in Iran, a crash in Amsterdam, a hospital with a bomb crater in Gaza. Nothing was refused,” — Henk van Ess, an open-source researcher

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• “Very curious how or if this idea was red teamed internally because the opportunities for abuse and disinfo are literally boundless,” — Evan Hill

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• “Satellite imagery has been kind of a safe bet when it comes to verifying an event because it's hard to fake,” — Jake Godin, a senior researcher with the online group Bellingcat

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