Google has subtly hinted at its involvement with a new AI image model called 'nano-banana' through cryptic social media posts, including a banana emoji and a related art piece, though it has not officially confirmed ownership.

Enthusiasts believe Google is behind 'nano-banana' due to recent teasing of image-related projects and social media hints, suggesting the tech giant is making a significant push in this area.

It has appeared on LMArena, where users praise its ability to generate and edit images effectively, handling multiple references without quality loss, and being possibly the best image editing model to date.

The model's capabilities include both text-to-image and image-to-image generation, showcasing speed, consistency, and high-quality output that surpasses previous Google models.

Experts like Professor Ethan Mollick have noted the model's strong prompt adherence across various tests, indicating advanced performance.

The name 'nano' suggests a smaller, locally runnable model, aligning with Google's past references to 'nano' models designed for local device use.

Google is holding a major device event the following day, which could reveal more details about 'nano-banana' and other upcoming projects.

While Google's earlier image generation models haven't gained as much attention as its Veo video models, 'nano-banana' appears to represent a significant technological leap.

Although the official launch date and pricing remain unknown, the buzz indicates Google might have a major hit on its hands even before an official release.

The 'nano-banana' model has been generating buzz for its impressive image quality, fast processing, and strong prompt adherence, with positive reactions from the AI community.