Google has rolled out its new AI image model, Nano Banana, to Google Search and NotebookLM. Till now, this model had only been available within the Gemini app, where users could generate and edit images using text prompts. With this expansion, the tech titan is bringing those same creative capabilities to two of its most widely used platforms, allowing users to create, modify, and visualize images directly within Search and NotebookLM. The rollout begins in English for users in the United States and India. This also comes at a time when law enforcement agencies in India (one of Google’s largest user bases) warned people to be cautious about uploading personal photos and using fake apps posing as Nano Banana editors, as these could lead to scams and data misuse.
Notably, Nano Banana (officially known as the Gemini 2.5 Flash Image model) first debuted in August 2025 as part of the Gemini app. It quickly attracted attention for its ability to generate detailed, consistent, and realistic images while keeping the main subject looking the same across edits. The model has already produced billions of images since launch, becoming one of Google’s most used creative AI systems.
And now, in Google Search, Nano Banana is being integrated through Google Lens and a new ‘Create’ mode. When users open Lens in the Google mobile app, they will now see the option to generate or modify images directly from the camera interface. This means users can take a photo or upload an existing one and then enter a prompt to transform it. The tool can also create new images entirely from text prompts. This feature is rolling out first on mobile and will be available on both Android and iOS.
In parallel, the NotebookLM integration introduces Nano Banana into Google’s AI-driven research and note-taking tool. NotebookLM (originally designed to summarize and explain documents) now uses Nano Banana to add visuals that enhance comprehension and presentation. The update introduces Video Overviews, short animated summaries generated from a user’s documents, now enriched with AI-generated illustrations. Users can select from a range of visual styles (like watercolour, anime, papercraft, whiteboard, retro print, and heritage art) to match the tone of their summaries. They can also choose between two types of overviews – Explainer (which provides a detailed visual walkthrough) and Brief (which delivers a concise summary with key visuals). These features are initially being rolled out to NotebookLM Pro users before being expanded more broadly.
However, despite these advancements in its AI efforts, Google continues to face major challenges and controversies related to its tools. For example, last month (September 2025), the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) launched an investigation into Google over safety concerns related to its AI chatbot, Gemini.
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