Nano Banana Pro: Google’s leap across the uncanny valley

You’d be forgiven for seeing the name Nano Banana in the headlines and assuming a very tiny banana variety had been discovered in the depths of the Amazon, or perhaps that a bootleg revamp of Apple’s iPod Nano had been launched. The name is something of a misnomer, though the real Nano Banana might actually be more exciting. 

The Nano Banana Pro making the news is Google’s latest (and most realistic) AI image generation and editing tool. A launch that in some way feels like the first stride in the conquering of the uncanny valley. Gone are the unsettling dead-behind-the-eyes portraits of AIs past. Nano Banana Pro’s outputs are, though not perfect, far less eerie. As a powerful tool, able to produce visual content at speed, its applications are potentially vast; press releases, social posts, campaign assets, translations – the list goes on. Features that promise savings in both time and cost, while boosting consistency and pushing creative boundaries.

Yet, despite the disarmingly playful name, coverage has mirrored growing concerns about deepfakes, misinformation, privacy and safeguarding risks. Google has acknowledged these ethical challenges – particularly the potential for its ultra-realistic images to blur the line between real and synthetic – and introduced measures like an invisible SynthID watermark to mitigate misuse. Prompt restrictions aim to block harmful or celebrity likeness requests. And while these may curb misuse, experts are already noting that the watermarking isn’t foolproof.

It’s important to remember that this is just the latest development in a rapidly evolving AI image-generation space. In the current AI arms race, competitors will no doubt feel pressure to enhance their own tools. The real challenge, however, lies in how public consciousness evolves, how we think about, work with, and relate to these tools. The cultural shift is the true sticking point. AI is becoming more user-friendly, more realistic, and more powerful. The question remains: how do we ensure we use it for good?