All the major announcements from Adobe’s MAX 2024 event

Adobe MAX 2024: A New Era of AI-Powered Creativity: Adobe’s annual MAX conference showcased a significant shift in the company’s approach to AI integration, moving from generalized prompts to more targeted, workflow-specific AI tools across its Creative Cloud suite.

Key announcements and product updates: Adobe unveiled a range of new features and tools aimed at enhancing creative workflows and productivity for designers and content creators.

• The company introduced its first generative AI video model, now available in Premiere Pro, beating competitors like OpenAI and Google to market.
• Adobe is transitioning from the “prompt era” of AI to a new “control era,” focusing on improving specific creative workflows within Creative Cloud applications.
• Lightroom mobile received new AI-powered “quick actions” for retouching and a “Generative Remove” feature for easier photo editing on the go.
• A preview of Firefly Image Model V4 was teased, promising the ability to edit specific areas of generated images without starting from scratch.

Collaboration and workflow enhancements: Adobe emphasized improvements in real-time collaboration and streamlined workflows across its product ecosystem.

• “Project Concept,” an in-development planning app for real-time collaboration, was introduced to facilitate creative brainstorming and project management.
• Frame.io demonstrated near real-time photo uploads from camera to editing software, showcasing its camera-to-cloud integration capabilities.
• Frame.io V4, a major update to Adobe’s review and collaboration platform, is now available for all users, offering improved functionality and user experience.

3D design and illustration: Adobe continues to expand its offerings in the 3D design space, catering to the growing demand for 3D content creation tools.

• “Project Neo,” an Illustrator-like app for 3D design, was made available as a free beta, allowing users to explore new dimensions in graphic design and illustration.

Photoshop enhancements: The flagship image editing software received several AI-powered updates to streamline common tasks and improve productivity.

• New AI tools in Photoshop include an updated Remove Tool with automatic distraction removal, making it easier for users to clean up images and focus on key elements.

Video creation and editing: Adobe’s venture into AI-powered video creation marks a significant step in the evolution of video production tools.

• The launch of Adobe’s Firefly Video Model brings generative AI video capabilities to Premiere Pro, including the ability to extend footage and generate video from still images and text prompts.
• This development positions Adobe as a frontrunner in the AI-powered video creation space, potentially transforming how video content is produced and edited.

Industry partnerships and applications: Adobe’s collaboration with major brands demonstrates the practical applications of its AI-powered tools in real-world scenarios.

• Mattel and Adobe are leveraging AI-generated backdrops for toy packaging to accelerate the design process, showcasing how AI can be integrated into established creative workflows.

Implications for the creative industry: Adobe’s latest announcements signal a significant shift in how creative professionals may approach their work in the near future.

• The integration of AI across Adobe’s product line aims to automate routine tasks, potentially freeing up creatives to focus on higher-level conceptual work.
• The emphasis on collaboration tools and cloud-based workflows reflects the ongoing trend towards remote and distributed creative teams.
• As AI-powered tools become more sophisticated and integrated into professional software, creatives may need to adapt their skills to effectively leverage these new capabilities.