Photoshop is getting a lot of new AI tools — here’s what’s inside

AI-powered enhancements revolutionize Adobe Creative Cloud: Adobe has unveiled a suite of new AI-powered features across its Creative Cloud applications, with significant updates to Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Premiere Pro aimed at streamlining design workflows and enhancing creative capabilities.

Photoshop’s AI-driven upgrades: The popular image editing software receives several powerful new tools to automate complex tasks and improve output quality.

• The new “Distraction Removal” feature, an extension of the Remove Tool, can automatically identify and eliminate common distractions like people, wires, and cables with a single click.
• Users can now choose between generative AI (powered by Adobe’s Firefly image model) and non-generative AI for the Remove Tool, with an option for automatic selection based on the image and scene.
• Generative Fill, Generative Expand, Generate Similar, and Generate Background tools have been updated with the latest Firefly Image 3 Model, offering improved variety, photorealism, and complex prompt understanding.
• Photoshop’s web app now includes an AI feature that automatically selects all objects in an image, simplifying the editing process.

Illustrator’s new capabilities: The vector graphics software receives updates to enhance design flexibility and efficiency.

• The new “Objects on Path” feature allows users to quickly attach, arrange, and move objects along any path shape.
• The Mockup tool for staging designs on 3D models is now widely available.
• The Image Trace feature has been improved to create crisper vectorized outputs with cleaner lines and improved accuracy.

InDesign and Premiere Pro enhancements: Adobe’s layout and video editing software also benefit from AI-powered updates.

• InDesign now includes the Generative Expand tool, allowing users to extend images to fit any layout requirement.
• Premiere Pro introduces a new Generative Extend feature, powered by Adobe’s Firefly AI Video Model (currently in beta).

The impact of AI on creative workflows: These AI-powered features represent a significant shift in how designers and creatives approach their work.

• The new tools aim to automate time-consuming tasks, allowing creators to focus more on ideation and creative decision-making.
• By improving the quality and realism of generated content, Adobe is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in digital design and editing.
• The integration of AI across the Creative Cloud suite suggests a future where AI assistants become an integral part of the creative process.

Broader implications for the creative industry: Adobe’s AI push raises questions about the future of creative professions and the role of human expertise.

• As AI tools become more sophisticated, there may be concerns about the potential impact on entry-level design jobs and the value of traditional design skills.
• The ethical implications of AI-generated content, including issues of originality and copyright, will likely become more prominent as these tools see widespread adoption.
• Creative professionals may need to adapt their skillsets to include prompt engineering and AI tool management to remain competitive in the evolving landscape.