Google just made a big move in the AI image generation race. The company unveiled Nano Banana 2 today — the latest version of its widely used image generation model, technically built on Gemini 3.1 Flash Image. The upgrade promises more realistic visuals, dramatically faster output and a broader rollout that touches nearly every corner of Google’s product lineup.
The original Nano Banana launched in August 2025 and quickly became a phenomenon, particularly in markets like India where millions of users flooded the Gemini app with creative requests. A Pro version followed in November of that same year, raising the ceiling on detail and image quality. Now Nano Banana 2 splits the difference — carrying over the high-fidelity strengths of the Pro model while delivering the kind of speed that makes it practical for everyday use.
What Nano Banana 2 Can Actually Do
The new model supports image resolution ranging from 512px all the way up to 4K, with flexibility across different aspect ratios. That alone puts it in a different class from many competing tools. But the more impressive leap is in its storytelling capability — Nano Banana 2 can maintain character consistency across up to five characters and track fidelity for as many as 14 objects within a single workflow. For creators building visual narratives or producing content at scale, that is a meaningful upgrade.
Users can also submit complex, nuance-heavy prompts and expect the model to interpret them with greater accuracy. The results, Google says, feature more vibrant lighting, richer textures and sharper overall detail — qualities that push AI-generated imagery closer to professional-grade output.
Where Nano Banana 2 Will Show Up
This is where the rollout gets significant. Nano Banana 2 is now the default image generation model across all modes in the Gemini app — Fast, Thinking and Pro — replacing its predecessor across the board. It is also becoming the default in Flow, Google’s video editing tool, signaling a push to unify its creative AI stack under a single, more capable engine.
Perhaps the widest-reaching change is in Search. Nano Banana 2 will power image generation results through Google Lens and in AI Mode across 141 countries, available on both the Google app and the web on desktop and mobile. That kind of scale puts the model in front of an enormous user base almost immediately.
For subscribers on Google AI Pro and Ultra plans, access to Nano Banana Pro remains available for specialized, high-stakes tasks — reachable through the three-dot regeneration menu within the Gemini app.
Built-In Safeguards for AI-Generated Images
Every image created through Nano Banana 2 will carry a SynthID watermark, Google’s proprietary marker for AI-generated content. The company also confirmed interoperability with C2PA Content Credentials, an industry-wide standard developed by a coalition that includes Adobe, Microsoft, OpenAI and Meta.
The numbers behind SynthID’s adoption are striking. Since its verification feature launched inside the Gemini app last November, users have engaged with it more than 20 million times — a signal that transparency around AI-generated media is becoming something users actively want, not just a regulatory checkbox.
What Developers Get
For those building on top of Google‘s infrastructure, Nano Banana 2 is rolling out in preview through the Gemini API, Gemini CLI and the Vertex API. It will also be accessible through AI Studio and Antigravity, Google’s development tool that launched last November. The preview access gives developers an early window to integrate the model before it hits wider general availability.
With faster generation, higher fidelity, and a footprint that now spans Search, Gemini and third-party development tools, Nano Banana 2 is not just an incremental update. It is Google planting a flag in a space that is getting more competitive by the week.
Source: Tech Crunch
