Google Earth's New AI Lets Anyone Fabricate Satellite Images

32 pointsposted 5 hours ago
by donohoe

14 Comments

echoangle

4 hours ago

What’s the actual use case for this that’s not malicious? When would someone want to generate a fake satellite image of a selectable area? Is it for architects that want to visualize projects?

centuryfall

4 hours ago

It’s like it was specifically built for Fox News…

But for real, this is bad. Like, really, really bad. And I understand this could have been done before by just screenshotting an image from Google Maps and feeding into an AI image processor, but now, that whole process is streamlined and immediately available, and Google’s messaging is that we can just fact check it ourselves with another AI tool.

Well, that’s only possible with the original, non-altered image. Someone takes a screenshot and puts this up on a news broadcast or Twitter post, and then, how is anyone going to determine what is real or fake anymore?

willtemperley

3 hours ago

> how is anyone going to determine what is real or fake anymore

Through using AI to build tools that generate results with a verified chain of provenance.

copper-float

2 hours ago

All media conglomerates will have a field day with this. CNN, MSNBC, and Fox have all been caught doing exactly these kinds of things.

Don't act like the left has never lied or manipulated their stories, they're all equally terrible and soulless.

bigbuppo

3 hours ago

So that's why they're killing off the desktop client. They can't figure out how to make it suck.

afavour

4 hours ago

Google’s inane push to shove AI into every product is going to cause real harm here. I can’t even fathom what the legitimate use case for this would be.

Cider9986

4 hours ago

Seems to be completely uncensored. Crazy they shipped this.

kittikitti

3 hours ago

I've been sent a cease and desist letter from the European Union for researching their satellite imagery with legitimate reasons. I cannot believe that Google is getting away with something like this. It's awful how much concern trolling I have to go through while Big Tech gets a free pass for just about anything.

hellscapesite

4 hours ago

Who the fuck thought this would be a good feature? What the fuck is wrong with this industry.

InsideOutSanta

4 hours ago

This is actually insane. I'm usually indifferent toward AI integrations, I've learned to ignore them like I ignore most ads, but what the hell? The people who came up with this must be absolutely divorced from reality.

jbxntuehineoh

4 hours ago

Haven't you heard? If you can, you should. You'd be an idiot not to. And hey, even if you don't, the next guy will. So you may as well.