Google introduces a faster, cheaper image generator with Nano Banana 2 Lite
Key takeaways
- Google on Tuesday released Nano Banana 2 Lite, the newest version of its in-house AI video and image generator.
- The model has much lower latency and can produce images in 4 seconds, which makes it a good option if you need to workshop images and produce a large number of them in quick succession, Google says.
- The release follows last summer s launch of the original Nano Banana, powered by Gemini 3.1 Flash, and the February release Nano Banana 2.
Why this matters: a development in AI with implications for how people work, create, and decide.
Google on Tuesday released Nano Banana 2 Lite, the newest version of its in-house AI video and image generator. This version is significantly faster and more affordable than its previous release, the company claims.
The model has much lower latency and can produce images in 4 seconds, which makes it a good option if you need to workshop images and produce a large number of them in quick succession, Google says. It costs $0.034 per 1,000 images, which makes it quite affordable for people looking to draft and perfect their content at scale.
The release follows last summer s launch of the original Nano Banana, powered by Gemini 3.1 Flash, and the February release Nano Banana 2. The latter introduced new powers for the generator, including the ability to create more realistic images. The company also offers Nano Banana Pro, which is described as a more powerful (and more expensive) model for advanced use cases.