Google has launched its new AI-powered image generator, Nano Banana, directly into Google Search and NotebookLM. The update allows users to create, edit, and stylize images without leaving their current app, further expanding Google’s reach in the generative AI space.
Nano Banana is powered by Google’s Gemini 2.5 Flash model and is now built into Google Lens and AI Mode within Search. Users will find a new “Create” tab in Google Lens, where they can upload or take photos and instantly transform them using AI prompts. The tool lets users turn pictures into cartoons, apply artistic effects, or generate new images from text, all within the Search interface.
Through AI Mode, users can also generate visuals from scratch using only written descriptions. This integration gives Google an edge against standalone AI art platforms by bringing creativity directly to Search.
Google has also enhanced its productivity tool, NotebookLM, with Nano Banana’s creative capabilities. The model now powers the app’s Video Overviews feature, which converts written documents into short, narrated explainer videos. These videos can be customized with six new artistic styles: Watercolor, Papercraft, Anime, Whiteboard, Retro Print, and Heritage.
Users can choose between two video formats, “Explainer” for detailed summaries or “Brief” for shorter highlights. Nano Banana uses the content from each document to generate context-aware visuals, avoiding generic stock images and ensuring that each animation fits the material accurately.
The new model aims to help students, educators, and professionals turn ideas into visuals quickly. From study guides to business presentations, Nano Banana acts like a “Smart Reply for images,” instantly creating relevant designs and animations.
Google says Nano Banana has already generated over five billion images, with improved quality in facial details, composition, and style consistency compared to earlier AI tools.
Next, Google plans to expand Nano Banana into Google Photos, enabling users to stylize and edit personal memories with AI assistance. Additionally, Google has introduced Nano Banana-compatible camera hardware that can edit visuals in real time, signaling a major step forward in the company’s integration of generative AI into everyday tools.
