Google Gemini Nano Banana tool used by employee to fool HR, created AI-generated injury for paid leave

Google’s updated Nano Banana AI image generator has once again highlighted just how convincingly artificial intelligence can manipulate visuals, after an employee used the tool to fabricate a hand injury that successfully secured him paid leave. The episode, which has since gone viral across professional networks, underscores both the rapid advancement of consumer-grade AI and the emerging complications it poses for workplace verification.

The individual began with a simple, unremarkable photograph of his hand and then used the Nano Banana tool to generate an image depicting a realistic fresh wound. A brief prompt asking the AI to add an injury was enough for the system to produce an edit that showed a sharp cut complete with redness, texture and detail similar to an actual accident.

A side-by-side comparison of the original and manipulated images was later shared on LinkedIn by Shreyash Nirmal, founder of Gorilla Trend Technologies, who highlighted how easily the AI could fabricate a believable injury. The employee subsequently sent the doctored image to his HR department, claiming he had fallen off his bike, and the hyper-realistic edit was convincing enough for HR to approve paid leave without further checks. The HR representative reportedly escalated the matter to the employee’s manager immediately, and the request was cleared within minutes along with a sympathetic message.

The incident triggered a wave of reactions online, as social media users expressed a mix of astonishment, amusement and unease at the accuracy of the AI-generated wound. While many were impressed by the technology’s capabilities, others pointed out that such developments could complicate workplace processes, with some joking that employee leave requests may never be the same again.