One of the most essential things I do when testing new AI image and video generators is to try to find out whether the claims a company makes are true or marketing fluff. Google promised that nano banana pro would bring Gemini 3's world understanding and the informational power of Google Search to your AI images. I jumped into the new model as soon as it was released, and frankly, I think Google undersold its capabilities.
The original nano banana model was extremely popular, though like any AI service, there were glaring areas for improvement. There's one area where I'm already super impressed with the new pro version: It really can handle complex text rendering in images. Nano banana pro can make complex infographics and add captions to images without as many of the usual hallucinations. That's a game changer, but maybe not in the way we would hope. Throughout my initial testing with pro, that was a constant feeling. The pro model is excellent, if in an extremely unnerving way.
Here's what my initial testing showed, complete with many nano banana pro images. If you want to try it out for yourself, here's the cheapest way to access it, along with Google's new AI image detector.
Ultrarealistic people and characters
The TV show Riverdale gave us no shortage of ridiculous, meme-able dialogue, but nothing is funnier to me than Archie's line about the "epic highs and lows of high school football." As someone whose high school football team was three-time state champs, I could see where Archie was coming from. Nano banana pro was able to recreate the moment.
This is a perfect-looking image of KJ Apa, who played Archie, though he isn't in juvie like he is in the original scene. Created by Katelyn Chedraoui using Gemini AI
Gemini initially denied my request when I used the names "KJ Apa" and "Riverdale" in my prompt (as it absolutely should), but it spit out this too-accurate-looking image after I simply deleted the names. This method didn't always work -- Gemini didn't flag my request for a scene similar to Legally Blonde, but it didn't capture Reese Witherspoon's recognizable likeness, either. But I got two accurate depictions of Dr. Seuss's The Grinch: the Jim Carrey version and the cartoon one voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch.
Dr. Suess is probably rolling in his grave right now. Created by Katelyn Chedraoui using Gemini AI
While these results are impressive, it's not a good thing that Gemini is able to create them. Celebrities, public figures and other recognizable folks have voiced concerns about how AI tools make it easier for anyone to create realistic-looking AI versions of them. AI companies have said there are technical barriers and policies in place to prevent abuse, but we've already seen how these systems can fail. As new models like nano banana pro become more capable of creating these images and videos, it makes it even harder to tell when something is real or AI.
Ridiculously accurate text rendering in images
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