Google announced on February 26, 2026 that its latest image-generation model, Nano Banana 2 (technically Gemini 3.1 Flash Image), is now available and will be the default image model across the Gemini app and other Google products. The company says the model produces more realistic images than its predecessors while delivering faster generation times and support for resolutions from 512px up to 4K. Nano Banana 2 becomes the default for Fast, Thinking and Pro modes in the Gemini app and is being rolled into Search via Google Lens and AI Mode across 141 countries. Google also confirmed interoperability with SynthID watermarks and C2PA content credentials to mark AI-generated media.
Key Takeaways
- Nano Banana 2 is the commercial name for Gemini 3.1 Flash Image and will be the default image model across Gemini app Fast, Thinking, and Pro modes as of the February 26, 2026 announcement.
- The model supports output resolutions between 512px and 4K and multiple aspect ratios for creative flexibility.
- Google says Nano Banana 2 preserves character consistency for up to five characters and maintains fidelity for as many as 14 objects in one workflow to aid storytelling and complex scenes.
- Nano Banana 2 prioritizes speed while keeping many of the high-fidelity attributes introduced in Nano Banana Pro; Nano Banana Pro remains available to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers via the three-dot menu.
- Deployment spans apps and tools: Gemini app, Flow video editor, Google Lens, AI Mode in Google Search (141 countries), and developer access via the Gemini API, Gemini CLI, Vertex API, AI Studio and Antigravity.
- All images generated by the model will carry Google’s SynthID watermark and be compatible with C2PA Content Credentials; Google reports SynthID has been used more than 20 million times since its Gemini rollout in November 2025.
- Developers can preview Nano Banana 2 through multiple interfaces, enabling integration into workflows and third-party tools.
Background
Google first introduced Nano Banana in August 2025; the initial release quickly spurred millions of images created in the Gemini app, with particularly strong uptake in markets such as India. In November 2025 Google expanded the family with Nano Banana Pro, which focused on higher detail and quality at the expense of heavier compute and longer generation times. The rapid consumer adoption of image models has accelerated platform-level choices: default model selection influences user experience, content moderation, and compute costs for Google and partners.
At the same time, the industry has moved to address provenance and detection concerns. Google’s SynthID watermarking and the broader C2PA content credentials standard—backed by a cross-industry consortium including Adobe, Microsoft, Google, OpenAI and Meta—are designed to label synthetic media and enable verification across platforms. That infrastructure has become a central element of product launches as companies seek to balance capability with accountability.
Main Event
In its February 26, 2026 announcement, Google positioned Nano Banana 2 as a faster iteration that retains many fidelity improvements from the Pro variant. The company emphasized practical creator features: multi-character consistency (up to five characters), object fidelity (up to 14 objects), and richer lighting and texture rendering to produce images that read as more natural and detailed. Google highlighted the model’s flexible output sizes from 512px up to 4K and support for varied aspect ratios to serve social, editorial, and production needs.
Google confirmed Nano Banana 2 will be the default image generator inside the Gemini app’s Fast, Thinking and Pro modes, and that the model will also power image results surfaced via Google Lens and AI Mode in Search across desktop and mobile in 141 countries. Flow—the company’s video editing tool—will likewise use Nano Banana 2 as its standard image model, integrating still-generation improvements into video workflows. For users on Google AI Pro and Ultra plans, Nano Banana Pro remains available as an option for specialized, higher-fidelity tasks via the image regeneration menu.
Developer access was another focus: Nano Banana 2 will be available in preview through the Gemini API, Gemini CLI, and the Vertex API, and within Google’s AI Studio and Antigravity developer tool. Google framed this multi-channel availability as an attempt to let creators and integrators test performance and embed the model into apps and services during the preview period. The company reiterated that every generated image will include a SynthID watermark and support C2PA credentials for verification.
Analysis & Implications
Making a faster, high-quality image model the default across consumer and search experiences shifts the baseline for how quickly users and developers can produce visual content. For creators and small teams, the combination of speed and multi-character fidelity lowers the barrier to produce story-driven visuals without long render times or large budgets. That could expand creator output but also raises questions about content provenance and monetization for professional artists and stock image markets.
Google’s commitment to SynthID and C2PA interoperability addresses part of the provenance challenge, signaling to partners and regulators that generated content can be labeled consistently. However, watermarking and credentialing themselves do not prevent misuse; they provide metadata and verification paths but rely on downstream platforms and users to check and act on that information. Widespread adoption of credentials across platforms will be crucial for these mechanisms to meaningfully curb deception or copyright disputes.
For competitors—OpenAI, Adobe, Midjourney and other image-model providers—Nano Banana 2’s default status across Google products raises competitive pressure around latency, quality, and integration with search and video tools. Enterprises and developers who depend on Google’s ecosystem may accelerate adoption of the model for performance reasons, increasing network effects tied to Google’s APIs and tooling. Regulators watching AI-driven media and disinformation risks may also intensify scrutiny of defaults that scale synthetic content production.
Comparison & Data
| Model | Release | Key tradeoff | Max resolution | Character/object support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nano Banana (base) | Aug 2025 | Fast, broad access | Up to 4K | Earlier fidelity limits |
| Nano Banana Pro | Nov 2025 | Highest detail, slower | Up to 4K | Improved fidelity vs base |
| Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash) | Feb 26, 2026 | Balance of fidelity and speed | 512px–4K | Up to 5 characters, 14 objects |
The table summarizes publicly stated capabilities and release timeline. Nano Banana 2 is presented by Google as a middle ground: near-Pro quality with quicker generation times. Google has provided specific object and character fidelity figures (five characters, 14 objects) but has not published independent benchmarks comparing throughput or cost per image against the Pro or base models.
Reactions & Quotes
Public responses to the rollout were mixed, reflecting enthusiasm for speed and concern about standards. Below are short, contextualized reactions from official and expert sources.
“We designed Nano Banana 2 to accelerate creative workflows while preserving visual fidelity and verifiable provenance,”
Google (official announcement)
Google framed the release as prioritizing both production speed and the traceability of synthetic media through SynthID and C2PA integration.
“Faster, default models inside major apps shift the economics of image production, but verification needs to scale to match,”
independent AI researcher
An independent researcher noted the practical productivity gains but cautioned that metadata and watermark adoption must become universal to mitigate misuse.
“Making Pro-level options available on paid tiers keeps a path for high-end creators, but defaults shape what most users produce,”
industry analyst
Analysts pointed out the tension between offering premium tools and setting a default that will influence mainstream content norms.
Unconfirmed
- Google has not published independent benchmark numbers that quantify exact speed improvements of Nano Banana 2 versus Nano Banana Pro, so precise latency and cost-per-image comparisons remain unverified.
- Details about local moderation policies, automated filtering thresholds, and the extent of regional feature parity across all 141 countries have not been fully disclosed by Google.
Bottom Line
Nano Banana 2 represents Google’s effort to push image-generation speed without abandoning fidelity, and by making it the default across apps the company is setting a new baseline for mainstream synthetic image production. The model’s multi-character consistency and object fidelity figures give creators more control for narrative visuals, while default placement in Search and Lens significantly broadens exposure and utility.
Verification efforts—SynthID watermarking and C2PA compatibility—address provenance concerns but will only be effective if widely checked and enforced by platforms and consumers. Watch for independent benchmarks, uptake among professional creators, and regulatory responses as indicators of how Nano Banana 2 reshapes creative workflows, search results, and the broader synthetic media landscape.