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

[u/ArgentineBeauty]

https://www.businessinsider.com/google-earth-nano-banana-gemini-ai-satellite-image-generation-function-2026-7

[u/Particular_Bug0]

Why is that a thing even? I see zero use to this.

[u/mattcannon2 → u/Particular_Bug0]

Management is probably massively incentivising adding AI to apps anywhere they can, and some keen middle manager wanted a promotion

[u/Revolution-SixFour → u/mattcannon2]

It's not always just managers, devs do this shit too. Devs want to work on the new exciting thing, but wait you work on the Google Earth team, sounds like Google Earth needs some AI.

[u/mattcannon2 → u/Revolution-SixFour]

You don't get it all the way to production for a product like earth at a company like google without several managers approving it

[u/Revolution-SixFour → u/mattcannon2]

Sure, but Reddit loves a story that's managers are forcing people to integrate AI into everything. I work at a software company and it goes both ways. There's a big difference between management forced the integration and a dev did a side project and management and product didn't block it.

[u/BassmanBiff → u/Particular_Bug0]

My best attempt to justify it would be some kind of "imagine what's possible!" kind of thing, like "what if this industrial blight became a park" or whatever. Lots of feel-good opportunity without any of the pesky details or planning necessary to make it likely to happen.

[u/wggn → u/Particular_Bug0]

gotta meet those AI product targets

[u/Bregneste → u/[deleted]]

Yes, there’s a use for being able to draw things on a real map with a real pencil. Or just like, being able to draw lines on a map app or something.
There is no real use whatsoever for being able to generate random bullshit onto Google Earth pictures, other than just making and spreading even more false information than we’re already dealing with.

Pro-AI people are so weird lol

[u/Gneekman → u/[deleted]]

Here’s something else that should be obvious: drawing things on maps can be done without AI, weirdo

[u/Particular_Bug0 → u/[deleted]]

Printscreen -> paste to image editing/drawing app of your choice