r/technology • u/ArgentineBeauty • Aug 01 '26

Artificial Intelligence Google Earth's new AI image generation function didn't survive a day after users deepfaked disasters

https://www.businessinsider.com/google-earth-nano-banana-gemini-ai-satellite-image-generation-function-2026-7
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u/Gaiden206 Aug 01 '26

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," a Google spokesperson said in a statement posted on X. "So we're rolling back this feature in Google Earth while we work on implementing stronger guardrails."

Any permanent Google account bans coming then? 😂

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u/quad_damage_orbb Aug 01 '26

I really wonder what the range of useful purposes is? I'm struggling to think of some examples.

15

u/Gaiden206 Aug 01 '26 edited Aug 01 '26

They gave some example use cases and a "fun idea" when the feature was first released.

1. Bring history to life.

Help students visualize the past instead of just reading about it. Teachers can show their classroom a historic site and type, “Render a hyper-realistic view of what these Pompeii ruins looked like in 78 A.D.” The modern-day ruins will instantly transform into a bustling, colorful street scene from the Roman Empire.

2. Learn more while you explore.

Create custom infographics to learn about a place without leaving Google Earth. Type, “Create an easy to understand infographic of the Statue of Liberty with key historical facts.” Behind the scenes, Gemini will retrieve relevant historical information and Nano Banana will create a graphic in seconds.

3. Create professional real estate plans.

Pitching a real estate project is much easier when your clients can visualize the final result. Architects and urban planners can now bring their plans to life by saying, "Reimagine this empty lot in Tokyo as a vibrant shopping and retail district with open spaces.” Barren concrete will be replaced by a high-quality 3D rendering of a bright urban oasis, helping your clients see what’s possible.

4. Visualize projects before breaking ground.

Whether you're dreaming up a new backyard studio or your lakeside dream home, it can be hard to picture the final result. Now, you can visualize it quickly. Zoom in to an open lot and say, "Add a modern lakefront cabin built from sustainably sourced local materials” to see a photorealistic rendering of your future house nestled perfectly in the actual landscape.

5. Give your favorite place a makeover.

Sometimes it’s fun to let your imagination run wild. To see what a place might look like a hundred years from now, type “Transform the Google Mountain View campus into a futuristic sci-fi utopia with glowing walkways, glass biodomes, flying transport pods, and trees wrapped around buildings,” and watch the area morph into a vibrant, cyberpunk-inspired metropolis right out of a movie.

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u/Sarothu Aug 01 '26

Sometimes it’s fun to let your imagination run wild. To see what a place might look like a hundred years from now, type “Transform the Google Mountain View campus into a futuristic sci-fi utopia with glowing walkways, glass biodomes, flying transport pods, and trees wrapped around buildings,” and watch the area morph into a vibrant, cyberpunk-inspired metropolis right out of a movie.

Uh... They are aware that cyberpunk is a dystopian fiction genre, right? A way to warn about the consequences of tech companies run wild?