My AI Thumbnail Adventure: Is Gemini Pro Actually a Genius or Just Confused?

They say AI is supposed to make our lives easier, right? Well, after my latest session with Gemini Pro, I have thoughts. Many, many thoughts.

I’ve been promising you guys for a few weeks that we’d dive into creating YouTube thumbnails using Gemini Pro, and today was finally the day. I went in with a folder full of movie images, some reaction shots of myself, and high hopes. Spoiler alert: It was quite the rollercoaster!

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The Struggle is Real

Let’s just say it straight: this thing has been giving me a hard time. I started with a simple goal—taking images from movies and series and adding my own “reaction” face into the corner of the thumbnail. Sounds easy, right?

I started with Harry Potter. At first, it was a mess. Then, after some back-and-forth, Gemini finally gave me something… okay. It was a bit “rough around the edges,” and the placement was off (I wanted to be on the left!), but it was a start.

I even had to start new chats just to keep the AI from getting confused. Pro tip: Don’t let the AI get too overwhelmed, or it starts doing its own thing!

When Things Get Weird (and a Little Embarrassing)

The real test came when I tried to create something for the upcoming 2026 Kdrama, The Remarried Empress.

I wanted to highlight the lead actor because of a cool piece of trivia: back in 2006, he played a prince in Princess Hours, and now, 20 years later, he’s finally playing an Emperor. TikTok is obsessed with it!

But Gemini? Gemini was not having it. It struggled with the faces, and then it gave me an image that looked exactly like the lead from Pride and Prejudice.

And here’s my “criminal” confession: I’ve never actually seen Pride and Prejudice.

I know, I know! I’m a movie reviewer and I haven’t seen the classics. Don’t judge me! Needless to say, the thumbnail wasn’t exactly what I was looking for.

Was it Me or the AI?

By the end of the session, I was honestly speechless. It felt like I was pulling teeth just to get a decent result.

I’m not even sure if I’ll use some of these “experiments”—they were definitely more “so-so” than “spectacular.”

But that’s where you come in. I’ve been wondering: Is it the AI, or is it my prompting? Maybe I’m the one making mistakes with the instructions I’m giving it.

I want to hear from you: * Have you tried using Gemini Pro for graphics?

Have you had the same “I’m losing my mind” experience that I did?

Drop your ideas and advice in the comments so we can figure this out together!

Until next time, keep watching great movies and series, and hopefully, I’ll have some better thumbnails to show you soon! 🙂

Yours truly,

Nikoletta