Google removes new AI satellite image tool from Google Earth after disinformation concerns

Google has pulled a new artificial intelligence feature from Google Earth, just a day after its release, following concerns raised by researchers about its potential to spread disinformation. The tool allowed users to generate AI-powered satellite images.

Researchers specializing in disinformation warned that the feature could be exploited by malicious actors. They expressed concern that Google Earth, a vital resource for fact-checking, could be used to create highly realistic but false geographical content. Henk van Ess, an expert in digital investigations, noted that Google, after twenty years of building a trusted reference, had introduced a button that could "invent things."

Brady Africk, a satellite imagery analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, told AFP that the update would have facilitated the creation of convincing fake satellite images that could spread rapidly online and mislead the public. He also cautioned that the proliferation of AI-generated fakes could erode public trust in satellite imagery and complicate the work of journalists and researchers.

Initially, Google defended the feature, stating that created images contained invisible digital markers detectable by its Gemini chatbot. However, a Google spokesperson later confirmed to AFP that the company had decided to remove the feature "while we put in place more robust safeguards." The spokesperson acknowledged that while geospatial information professionals were using the tool for useful purposes, some users had shared screenshots that violated Google's policies.

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Google a passé vingt ans à construire la référence à laquelle le monde entier se fie. Aujourd'hui, elle ajoute un bouton qui invente des choses.