Google’s Gemini Nano Banana Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool, launched last month, has quickly gone viral, sparking a wave of creative experiments online.
From hyper-realistic 3D figurines to the latest “Banana AI Saree” trend on Instagram, users are transforming ordinary selfies into dramatic, 90s Bollywood-inspired portraits, complete with chiffon sarees, cinematic backdrops, and vintage textures.
But the viral craze has also triggered fresh warnings about privacy and security risks tied to uploading personal images online, as per a report by The Times of India.
What is the Nano Banana AI trend?
Powered by Google’s Gemini Nano model, the “Nano Banana” feature allows users to turn selfies into stylised 3D figurine portraits with glossy skin, toy-like features, and vibrant backgrounds.
Riding on its popularity, the new “Banana AI Saree” variant has taken Instagram by storm, reimagining users in glamorous, retro-inspired saree looks reminiscent of classic Bollywood movie posters.
Is Google Gemini Nano Banana safe?
Google says all images created with Gemini are tagged for transparency.
According to information on aistudio.google.co, “All images created or edited with Gemini 2.5 Flash Image include an invisible SynthID digital watermark to clearly identify them as AI-generated. Build with confidence and provide transparency for your users.”
These images also include metadata tags to help verify that they were AI-generated.
However, experts remain cautious. Detection tools for SynthID are not publicly available yet, and watermarks can be manipulated.
Ben Colman, CEO of Reality Defender, told Wired, “Watermarking at first sounds like a noble and promising solution but its real-world applications fail from the onset when they can be easily faked, removed or ignored.”
Hany Farid, professor at UC Berkeley’s School of Information, said, “Some experts think watermarking can help in AI detection but its limitations need to be understood. Nobody thinks watermarking alone will be sufficient.”
Indian police officer’s warning
Indian Police Service (IPS) officer VC Sajjanar issued an advisory cautioning users about the risks of participating in the trend.
In a post on X, he wrote (translated), “Be cautious with trending topics on the internet! Falling into the trap of the ‘Nano Banana’ craze can be risky. If you share personal information online, scams are bound to happen. With just one click, the money in your bank accounts can end up in the hands of criminals.”
He also warned users to stay away from fake websites and unofficial apps mimicking Google Gemini, adding, “Once your data reaches a fake website, retrieving it becomes very difficult. Your data, your money — your responsibility.”
How to safely use Google Gemini Nano Banana
Cybersecurity experts recommend a few precautions when engaging with viral AI trends:
Avoid uploading sensitive or private images
Strip metadata (like location information) before sharing photos
Tighten privacy settings on social media accounts
Limit where and how images are shared to reduce the risk of misuse