Samsung users, get ready for an overhaul of daily briefings. Cool thing? The days of only downloading weather and calendar information are over – now you can enjoy a piece of your own camera roll.
The “Now Short” functionality has now been improved via integrated Nano Banana, a generative AI imaging tool from Google DeepMindthanks to which your phone can display ready-made suggestions allowing you to create something artistic from an ordinary photo.
Here's how it works: As soon as you enable “Nano Banana Image Creation” in Now Brief's settings, the device dives into your gallery library and selects a matching photo (“you can use scenery, a selfie, or a pet photo”), then displays suggestions for what to do with it (e.g., “turn it into neon cyberpunk art” or something like that).
Click on a suggestion and you will be taken to the Gemini ecosystem where Nano Banana does its job.
What I found interesting (and perhaps cheeky) was how it indisputably changed from the crap the phone did, huh, maybe I could totally use this on my social media channels.
It's a small but smart move: instead of requiring you to open a dedicated app to create your creations (perhaps to play with filters or layer text), it makes creating images something that at least some people do every day.
Here's why it matters – and what I wonder about: First: accessibility. The realm of generative imaging tools has largely been the domain of the “tech-savvy creator.”
Samsung aims to lower this barrier by incorporating songs into daily briefings.
Suddenly, anyone with a supported Galaxy device can try it out. In a sense, this is the social mediation of AI art.
Second: attention span and use. When AI suggestions pop up at a natural time to get you things done (in my case, at the end of the day when you're reviewing your schedule and memories), you're more likely to be entertained rather than opening another app and deciding “well, maybe later.”
Third: privacy and control. And here's the kicker – for this to happen, your phone must be able to access your gallery, and then the image will be sent to Google's service (via Gemini) for processing.
Samsung's article says this is an opt-in optionand to see them, you need to update the Personal Data Intelligence app.
But still – if you're worried about where your selfies end up, it's not a bad idea to double-check your permissions.
It is worth remembering that Nano Banana was not made overnight. Google is rolling out this solution to apps like Search, NotebookLM, and Photos, so the Galaxy integration is part of a much broader project.
What this tells me: image generation is moving from a “side hobby tool” to a “(“native” device feature”).
What if hardware manufacturers like Samsung teamed up to embed them at the operating system level or in core UI features?
When this happens, generative visuals on your phone will become “just another phone feature” like filters and animated wallpapers once were.
And if you have the latest Galaxy (Galaxy S or something similar: for example, I've seen mentions of the S25 series, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, as well as the Z Flip 7 FE; probably the Tab 11) – just look at your sled as well to see if Now Brief has been updated on yours.
Go to the Now Brief tab settings panel, search for “Nano Banana Image Creation” and enable it.
Then relax and wait for the first suggestion card to appear – it may take some time to block access.
What if the idea of scanning your gallery for suggestions doesn't appeal to you? Don't worry – there will be an off switch. The tool works the way you want. The choice remains with you.
I'm actually excited about it. Phones are already powerful cameras; Artificial intelligence providing an extra layer of creativity makes them even more intriguing.
We also need to be a little careful – whenever generative technology becomes “just part of the phone”, we will need smart settings around consent, privacy and user agency. We are at this moment of transition.
