A feature previously locked behind paid subscriptions now lets any eligible US user generate images tailored to their personal interests via Google account data.

Google has expanded access to personalized AI image generation in its Gemini app, making the feature free for all eligible users in the United States starting June 29, 2026. [1] The capability had previously been restricted to Plus, Pro, and Ultra subscribers. [1]

The feature is powered by Nano Banana, Google’s underlying image generation technology, and operates through Gemini’s Personal Intelligence system. [1] Rather than requiring users to describe their preferences in detail within a prompt, the system draws on Gemini’s existing understanding of a user’s interests to inform the output. [1] For instance, a user can ask Gemini to “Create an illustration of me and my favorite things” without enumerating those things explicitly. [1]

To build that understanding, Gemini connects to data from a user’s Google account, including Gmail, Google Photos, YouTube, and Search. [1] The app can also pull images of the user directly from Google Photos, removing the need to manually upload reference photos. [1]

Personal Intelligence is an opt-in feature, and users control which apps Gemini can access. [1] Once enabled, it applies by default to every prompt, though a toggle in the Tools menu allows users to turn it off on a per-session basis. [1]

Google first announced Nano Banana-powered image generation for Personal Intelligence in April, then made the broader Personal Intelligence feature widely available to all US users in March. [1] The company has since expanded Personal Intelligence to users in India and Japan as well. [1]

The free-tier expansion comes as Gemini has surpassed 750 million monthly active users, according to figures cited earlier this year. [1] Google has also announced several additional upcoming Gemini features, including a “Daily Brief” function, a redesigned interface, access to the Gemini Omni AI video model, and a personal AI agent called Gemini Spark. [1]

Sources

  1. TechCrunch — Gemini’s personalized AI image generation is now free for US users

This article was drafted with AI from the cited sources and checked against them before publication. Spot an error? Let us know.