Alphabet (GOOGL) stock is in focus after Google removed an experimental artificial intelligence feature from Google Earth shortly after its release, following concerns over the creation of realistic but fictional images of real-world locations.
The tool let users change aerial scenes through text prompts. Demonstrations showed it could produce fabricated images of disasters, damaged infrastructure and military sites, raising concerns about how the technology could be misused.
Alphabet said some users shared AI-generated images in ways that violated its policies. The company plans to introduce additional safeguards before restoring the feature, while noting that the underlying Google Earth maps were not changed for other users.
The incident highlights challenges for Alphabet as it expands generative AI across its products. Google Earth is widely used to examine real-world locations, potentially making fabricated satellite-style scenes more difficult to distinguish from authentic imagery.
Alphabet also said the generated images contained digital watermarks, although screenshots could reduce their effectiveness. For investors, the episode adds another example of the reputational and regulatory risks surrounding AI deployment.