Google Gemini Apps now supports personal avatars that can be inserted into prompts for generated media. Once created, an avatar appears as an @username reference in Gemini and can be used for images made with Nano Banana or videos made with Gemini Omni. The change gives creators a reusable identity reference inside Gemini rather than requiring them to restate or re-upload visual context for every output.
The feature is part of a wider personalization push around Nano Banana. In a separate announcement about Personal Intelligence and Nano Banana personalization in the Gemini app, Google described using connected context and Google Photos to make image generation more personal. The two capabilities are related, but they serve different roles: avatars create a reusable representation of a person, while Personal Intelligence and photo linking can provide broader context for image creation.
Google's Gemini Apps help documentation says users can create an avatar by recording their face and voice, or by up image references depending on the creation flow. After setup, the avatar can be called into a prompt using its @username. Google specifically identifies two supported generation paths: ** Gemini Omni for video** and
That distinction matters for the common idea of creating content without repeatedly up a selfie. Gemini can reuse the avatar after it has been created, but the setup process itself still involves face and voice recording or uploaded reference material. It is therefore better understood as a reusable, account-level creative reference than as image generation that never uses personal source material.
For creator workflows, the practical benefit is continuity. A person producing several concepts, campaign visuals, or short-form videos can reference the same avatar across prompts, then vary scene, style, wardrobe, composition, or narrative direction around it. This can reduce the amount of prompt detail needed to establish who should appear in a result, although Google does not promise that every output will be identical or that an avatar replaces all creative direction.
| Capability | Personal avatar in Gemini Apps | Nano Banana personalization with Personal Intelligence |
|---|---|---|
| Primary input | A user-created avatar based on recorded or uploaded references, depending on the flow | User context and Google Photos when the user chooses to link Google apps to Gemini |
| Supported output described by Google | Nano Banana images and Gemini Omni videos | Personalized Nano Banana images |
| Availability described in the supplied research | Not available in the EEA, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom | Rolling out in the United States to eligible Google AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra subscribers |
| Key creator use | Reuse a named personal representation in prompts | Generate images grounded in interests and photos with less manual prompting |
Google states that creating a video with a personal avatar requires a Google AI plan. The supplied documentation does not establish a separate price or plan requirement for creating an avatar itself, so users should not assume that the video requirement applies identically to every avatar or image action.
Geography is also a material limitation. Google says personal avatars are not yet available in the EEA, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, the newer Personal Intelligence image experience is described as a United States rollout for eligible Google AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra subscribers, with expansion to more surfaces and users planned over time. Availability therefore depends on both the specific Gemini capability and the user's location and subscription.
Personal media generation requires users to consider what they contribute and what they connect. Google's avatar guidance includes controls for managing an avatar, including deletion, and explains that deleting it has consequences for the associated avatar data. It also describes data handling and limited use for model improvement.
The broader personalization features add another decision point. Google frames linking Google apps, including Google Photos, as user controlled and opt-in. That may make it easier to generate images that reflect a person's interests, photos, or loved ones, but it also means users should review what connected data they are comfortable making available to Gemini before enabling the experience.
The immediate workflow implications are clear:
Organizations that want to use personal AI media responsibly can work with Scalevise on AI workflow design, integration, and governance that account for access controls, connected data, and repeatable creator processes.
What can a Gemini Apps personal avatar be used for?
Google says a personal avatar can be inserted into Gemini prompts to create images with Nano Banana and videos with Gemini Omni.
Do users need to upload a selfie every time they generate an image?
No. After an avatar is created, it can be referenced in prompts as an @username. However, avatar setup can involve recording face and voice or up image references, depending on the flow.
Is a Google AI plan required for Gemini avatars?
Google says a Google AI plan is required to create a video with a personal avatar. The supplied documentation does not specify a separate plan requirement for every avatar creation or image-generation action.
Where are Gemini Apps personal avatars unavailable?
Google says personal avatars are not yet available in the EEA, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom.
How does Google Photos personalization differ from an avatar?
An avatar is a reusable personal reference used in prompts. Google Photos personalization uses opted-in connected context and photos to help ground Nano Banana image generation.
Gemini Apps avatars give Google a concrete way to carry a user's visual identity across Nano Banana images and Gemini Omni videos. Combined with Google Photos and Personal Intelligence personalization, the approach can streamline creator work, but its value depends on regional access, applicable AI plans, and deliberate use of the available privacy controls.