PANAJI
Goa’s political leaders have jumped onto the latest internet craze, the ‘Nano Banana’ AI trend, by sharing hyper-realistic 3D figurine versions of themselves.
Among those featured are Union Minister of State and North Goa MP Shripad Naik, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and his cabinet colleagues- Health Minister Vishwajit Rane and Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho, along with BJP State President Damodar Naik. Party social media handles have been quick to circulate these toy-like avatars, adding to the buzz.
Revolutionary Goans Party MLA Viresh Borkar and party leader Manoj Parab also tried their hands at the new AI trend.
The quirky trend, powered by Google’s Gemini 2.5 Flash Image tool, has gone viral across India. It allows users to generate collectable-style figurines that look like shiny store-bought toys, but are completely AI-generated and free. Much like OpenAI’s earlier Studio Ghibli and Pixar-style art waves, the Nano Banana challenge has taken over timelines and feeds, driving fresh engagement with AI-generated art.
The craze has also given a major boost to Google’s Gemini app. According to Google VP Josh Woodward, the app crossed 10 million downloads within days of the Nano Banana launch, a surge that highlights the growing popularity of AI-powered creativity tools.
For those wanting to join in, the process is simple. Users can head to Google AI Studio via the Gemini app or website, upload a photo or use a text prompt, and enter Google’s official figurine prompt:
“Create a 1/7 scale commercialised figurine of the characters in the picture, in a realistic style… placed on a computer desk… with a toy packaging box printed with original artwork.”
Within seconds, the app produces a miniature figurine image ready to be shared. If the result isn’t satisfying, prompts can be tweaked for different outcomes.
The tool also offers playful alternatives such as transforming a photo into a retro 16-bit video game character or reimagining it as a 3D hologram. With politicians, creators, and everyday users joining the fun, Goa has now found its place in India’s fast-moving Nano Banana AI wave.
