Google Rolls Back Nano Banana in Google Earth After Fake Scene Concerns

Google rolled back Nano Banana image generation in Google Earth less than a day after announcing the integration on July 30, 2026. The feature let users zoom to any point on the map and generate an image from a text prompt, but Google says it is now temporarily disabled while the company works on stronger safeguards.

The move came after people began sharing screenshots of generated imagery that appeared to violate Google's policies. Google said the AI-made images did not appear in the main Google Earth experience for other users to see, and that they were watermarked as AI-generated.

A report from 404 Media showed how the feature could be used to create misleading satellite imagery. In one example, the tool was used to make a blast crater in Los Angeles, and in another it added protesters just outside Google's Mountain View, California, campus.

Google also said it will bring the feature back only after stronger guardrails are in place. The company separately said it takes misinformation seriously and confirmed that every image created with Nano Banana in Google Earth includes the SynthID digital watermark.

Previously, Google announced plans to eliminate the need for Chrome users to restart the browser after updates.

Will stronger guardrails be enough to bring image generation back in Google Earth without more misleading scenes appearing online?