Google has unveiled Pics, an AI image generator integrated within Workspace, aiming to compete with Canva in terms of precise editing.

      Pics, driven by Nano Banana 2, enables users to create images from text prompts and effortlessly move, resize, or adjust individual elements without having to regenerate the entire composition. It will be available to Workspace Business Standard and higher users, as well as Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the coming months.

      Google introduced Pics at the I/O 2026 developer conference on Tuesday. This new AI image generator and editor will be integrated into Google Workspace. The product aims to compete with design tools like Canva and Adobe Express, offering precision-editing controls that contrast with the traditional 'prompt-and-pray' approach of earlier AI image generators.

      Powered by Nano Banana 2, Google’s image model, Pics is said to be ideal for this application due to its ability to deliver precise text rendering, possess real-world knowledge, and produce detailed visuals. The combination of generating and editing allows users to manipulate individual objects within a composition, alter embedded text, and update specific areas of an image without having to regenerate the whole image. This particular function, referred to as localized object editing, is heavily promoted in comparison to single-prompt competitors.

      Another key aspect of the launch is its integration with Workspace. Pics will be directly incorporated into Google Slides for on-deck image creation and alterations, with the ability to save creations directly to Google Drive for sharing purposes. However, the company has yet to confirm Docs as a platform for the launch; the product page specifically mentions Slides and Drive, with broader Workspace capabilities suggested but not firmly established.

      Initially, Pics will be rolled out through Google’s Workspace Experiments program for a select group of early-access testers. Administrators in organizations using Workspace can enable their accounts by activating Gemini Alpha features. The general availability of Pics is expected "in the coming months" for Workspace customers with Business Standard plans or higher, as well as Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers. Pricing details for these existing tiers have not been revealed, and no specific fees for Pics as an add-on have been indicated.

      Pics is an extension of the Nano Banana family. Over the past year, Google has been deploying the Gemini app, with Nano Banana 2 designated for precise applications like text overlay and brand consistency. A product walkthrough from PetaPixel highlights that the distinction between Pics and OpenAI's image-generation capability within ChatGPT lies in the workflow rather than the model itself: while ChatGPT provides quicker generation, Pics grants users greater control over modifications after the initial creation.

      The domain of AI design tools has become a crucial area of competition for major model labs, with Pics being the most notable commitment to a productivity-suite-integrated approach rather than a standalone consumer application.

      In terms of provenance, this launch aligns with Google’s SynthID watermarking system, which has been standard for Google’s generative image outputs since 2023, and which OpenAI adopted earlier this year under the C2PA standard. Google has yet to release a separate provenance statement for Pics outputs. However, the integration with Workspace implies that the same SynthID default framework used across the broader Gemini family applies to Pics as well. DeepMind's ongoing releases of generative models through 2025 and 2026 consistently include watermarking as a standard feature at launch.

      What remains undisclosed is the timeline for enabling individual tenancies beyond the vague 'coming months,' whether Pics will be included at no additional cost in the Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise, AI Pro, and AI Ultra tiers or if usage limits will be enforced, as well as specifics surrounding the Nano Banana 2 model card and benchmark results, the underlying computational requirements, and if the precision-editing features will eventually be incorporated into Docs and Gmail-based composition surfaces.

      The Workspace Discord community and the Experiments newsletter are positioned as the main public channels for updates on availability. The next significant indicator will be the first general availability rollout to AI Ultra subscribers and Business Standard customers, anticipated this summer based on the timeline provided by third-party briefings.