Google Earth's AI Experiment Raises Red Flags About Map Trust

Google Earth's addition of generative AI to its platform has raised questions about the trustworthiness of maps. Historically, cartographers traded on their reputation for accuracy and detail, but this was often compromised in the pursuit of creating increasingly detailed maps to support industrialization and colonization.

The Mountains of Kong, a fictional mountain range, were depicted on maps of Africa from the 18th to the 19th centuries. Despite being disproven by expeditions, including one led by Louis-Gustave Binger in 1887-88, the range persisted in some atlases for nearly 50 years.

The inclusion of generative AI in Google Earth has sparked concerns about the potential for fake or manipulated images to be spread. While Google stressed that an automatic watermark would be included with each generated image, this could be easily removed before sharing.