Google’s recently launched Gemini Nano Banana AI tool is a trending sensation now. It has now taken the internet by storm, with users creating 3D figurines inspired by the Gemini Nano Banana AI Saree trend on Instagram, turning their ordinary photos into dramatic 90s Bollywood-style portraits. The trend, however, has sparked fresh concerns about privacy and security risks associated with uploading personal images online.
What is Nano Banana AI trend: From 3D figurines to vintage sarees?
The “Nano Banana” craze, powered by Google’s Gemini Nano model, allows users to transform selfies into stylised 3D figurine portraits with glossy skin and exaggerated features. Building on its popularity, a new variant, the “Banana AI Saree” trend is making waves on Meta’s Instagram that reimagines portraits in retro Bollywood-inspired saree looks, often featuring chiffon drapes, cinematic backdrops and vintage textures.
Google says images created with Gemini carry an invisible watermark known as SynthID, along with metadata tags, to help verify AI-generated content. “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,” information on aistudio.google.com states. However, detection tools for SynthID are not yet available to the public.
Ben Colman, CEO of Reality Defender, said: “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 the UC Berkeley School of Information, said that watermarking has potential but is not a standalone safeguard: “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 Service officer VC Sajjanar has also cautioned users about risks tied to the Nano Banana trend. In a post on X, Sajjanar said, “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 urged users to avoid fake websites or unofficial apps mimicking Gemini’s platform: “Once your data reaches a fake website, retrieving it becomes very difficult. Your data, your money — your responsibility.”
Experts recommend that users take precautions before engaging with viral AI tools. These include avoiding the upload of sensitive or private photos, stripping metadata such as location tags, and tightening privacy settings on social media.
