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ZDNET's key takeaways
- The new Nano Banana 2 promises better image generation.
- The new model aims to produce high-quality images much faster.
- Nano Banana 2 is now the default model across all Google apps and sites.
Last year Google made a big splash in the world of AI-powered image creation with its Nano Banana model. Now the next generation has debuted. And it promises a host of enhancements for generating photos, drawings, diagrams, infographics, and other images for individuals, professionals, and businesses alike.
On Thursday, Google announced Nano Banana 2 (officially dubbed Gemini 3.1 Flash). Accessible to free and paid users, the new model replaces the first Nano Banana everywhere. That means it's now the default at the Gemini website and app, Google search, Google Flow, AI Studio, and the Gemini API for developers.
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So what makes the second banana so much better than the first? Here's what's new, according to Google.
1. Advanced world knowledge. Nano Banana 2 uses Gemini's real-world knowledge and images from web searches to try to more accurately create your images. Google said that this skill will help the AI better devise infographics, turn your notes into diagrams, and visualize your data
2. Consistency. One flaw with AI image generation has been a lack of consistency across multiple images. Ask the AI to regenerate an image or create a new one based on a previous image, and the characters and other elements don't always remain the same. Nano Banana 2 aims to make sure that as many as five characters and up to 14 objects in an image stay consistent through each iteration.
3. Better text rendering. Generating text in an AI image can also be hit or miss, with illegible or inconsistent results. Nano Banana 2 will try to create more accurate and legible text, helping it design such…