Google just supercharged Photos with its most advanced AI yet. The company's rolling out six new features powered by Nano Banana, its top-rated image editing model, including personalized face edits and AI templates that can transform photos into Renaissance paintings or holiday cards. The update also brings conversational editing to iOS and expands Ask Photos to over 100 countries.
Google is making its biggest Photos update in years, and it's all about putting AI directly in users' hands. The company just announced six new features that turn everyday photo editing into something that feels almost magical - and the star of the show is Nano Banana, Google's most advanced image generation model.
The rollout starts this week and represents Google's most aggressive push yet into consumer AI tools. While competitors like Apple and Meta have focused on hardware-based AI features, Google's betting everything on cloud-powered intelligence that can transform how people interact with their photo libraries.
The most striking new capability lets users make personalized edits by simply typing requests like "Remove Riley's sunglasses, open my eyes, make Engel smile." The AI uses face recognition data already stored in users' private face groups to generate accurate, person-specific edits. "It's inspiring to see all the creative ways you're using Nano Banana," wrote Yael Marzan, Senior Director of Product Management for Google Photos, in the company's announcement.
For iOS users, this marks a watershed moment. Google's bringing conversational editing to Apple's platform for the first time, letting iPhone users describe edits using voice or text instead of fumbling with sliders and adjustment tools. The company's also delivering its redesigned photo editor to iOS, complete with one-tap suggestions and gesture-based controls.
But the real game-changer might be the new AI templates launching in the Create tab. Starting this week on Android in the U.S. and India, users can choose from ready-made prompts like "put me in a high fashion photoshoot" or "create a professional headshot." Coming soon are personalized templates that analyze users' photo libraries to suggest edits based on their hobbies and interests.
The Nano Banana integration goes far beyond basic filters. Users can now ask Photos to "paint you as a Renaissance portrait" or "restyle an image as a mosaic made of colorful tiles." The AI can transform photos into children's storybook illustrations or create winter holiday cards featuring the user's face.
