TikTok Parent ByteDance Launches Seedream 4.0 AI Image Editor, Claims Edge Over Google Nano Banana

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has unveiled its latest AI-powered image editor, Seedream 4.0, aimed at competing directly with Google DeepMind’s popular Nano Banana (Gemini 2.5 Flash Image). According to ByteDance, Seedream 4.0 surpasses Nano Banana in several key performance areas, including image generation accuracy and editing capabilities, based on its internal benchmarks known as MagicBench.

The AI division at ByteDance, called Seed, highlighted Seedream 4.0’s ability to generate realistic images from text prompts and perform detailed edits on existing images. Building on the functionalities of Seedream 3.0 and SeedEdit 3.0, this new version integrates multiple image editing tools into a single platform while retaining the prior cost structure of $30 per 1,000 image generations.

Independent benchmarking firm Artificial Analysis called Seedream 4.0 a “significant evolution” in AI image modeling. The launch underscores the intensifying rivalry between ByteDance and Google in the AI sector, especially in creative and visual technologies. Both companies are pushing the boundaries of AI-driven image creation, aiming to reduce manual intervention while producing high-fidelity content.

Nano Banana from Google has always been known for its consistent accuracy in image editing, but ByteDance claims that Seedream 4.0 presents more functionality and better performance in certain metrics. This could play a crucial role in the creative domains by equipping designers, artists, and content creators with new AI tools to generate and modify visuals with ease.

As the competition in AI becomes serious, the performance of Seedream 4.0 against the more established models such as Nano Banana is expected to spell the next directions in image generation technology worldwide.