Hands-On With Nano Banana 2, the Latest Version of Google's AI Image Generator

Google just debuted Nano Banana 2, an updated version of its AI image generator. It combines the abilities of Google’s previous release, Nano Banana Pro—like text rendering and web searching—with speedier image generation. This tool will be the new default in Google’s Gemini chatbot.

The first image model from Google under the Nano Banana moniker dropped last August, and the Pro version arrived three months later. The AI tool was widely adopted online to alter photos of real people, from generating custom action figures to nostalgic images of people hugging younger versions of themselves.

Nano Banana 2 is not only faster at crafting images, but it’s also a more powerful photo editor. Despite some rough edges and unconvincing generations in my initial hands-on experience through Gemini, Google’s latest release marks the continued improvement of photorealistic AI tools ...