Google Is Bringing Powerful New AI To Photos

Nano Banana AI could soon be coming to Google Photos, powering powerful creative edits. SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Recent reports suggest that Google Photos is on the verge of a significant upgrade, potentially integrating a powerful generative AI engine known as “Nano Banana.” Hidden clues within the latest Android version of the app point to a new creative tool that could revolutionize how users edit and interact with their pictures. But with this exciting development come questions about usability and global access.

Key Highlights

• Powerful AI Integration: Google Photos may soon incorporate Gemini’s Nano Banana, an AI model that allows users to merge and remix multiple images using simple text prompts.
• Hidden Clues: An unreleased animation discovered in the Android app showcases a new “Create” tool with capabilities that mirror Nano Banana's viral features.
• Global Availability Uncertain: A major question remains whether this new feature will be accessible to users outside the United States, as the tab it's expected to reside in is currently U.S.-only.

What is Nano Banana AI?

Properly known as “Gemini 2.5 Flash Image,” Nano Banana is the generative AI model that helped Google’s Gemini app surge in popularity, even outpacing ChatGPT in global downloads. Its strength lies in its ability to deliver fast, high-quality edits while maintaining consistency across multiple generations. The AI can skillfully merge, manipulate, and remix elements from several source images based on a single prompt, and it now appears these features are headed for Google Photos.

Evidence of a New 'Create' Tool

The discovery was made by app investigator AssembleDebug, who shared the findings with Android Authority. A hidden GIF animation within the Android Photos app demonstrates an unreleased “Create” tool that transforms a standard selfie into various creative images, including well-known memes. While the name Nano Banana isn't explicitly mentioned, the transformations shown are exactly the kind that made the AI model a viral sensation.

This new tool appears to be a step beyond Google's recently rolled-out “conversational editing,” which allows users to edit photos with voice or text commands. The key difference is the Create tool's apparent ability to lift a subject from one photo and place it into an entirely different one—a multi-image operation that is a core strength of Nano Banana.

Potential User Experience Hurdles

As an unreleased feature, the tool is still subject to change, and some adjustments may be necessary to avoid confusion. For instance, the new “Create” tool currently shares its name with the “Create” tab where it is located. It is also unclear how this new, powerful editor will coexist with the existing photo editor, which already has some overlapping functions.

If the two tools remain separate, users might find themselves switching back and forth to access all the available editing features, creating a disjointed experience. We will have to wait for future app updates to see how Google plans to integrate these powerful capabilities seamlessly.

Will It Be Available Outside The U.S.?

While the core Nano Banana technology is available globally through the Gemini app, its integration into Google Photos might be geographically restricted. The “Create” tab, where the new tool is expected to appear, is currently only available to users in the U.S. Unless Google provides an alternative way to access the feature, international users may be left waiting for a broader rollout. This could become a point of frustration for a global user base that can already access the AI model elsewhere.

Is Google Photos Becoming an AI Platform?

The introduction of Nano Banana raises a fundamental question about the app's identity. The Create tab already blurs the line between a photo storage app and an AI image generator. Adding an even more powerful tool like Nano Banana could push Google Photos further into the realm of AI creation, potentially overshadowing its primary function as a place for users to store, relive, and share their authentic memories.