What to do if Generative Fill is grayed out in Adobe Photoshop AI

Unlocking Adobe Photoshop’s Generative Fill: Adobe’s Generative Fill AI feature in Photoshop has generated excitement among users, but some have encountered issues accessing this innovative tool.

• Generative Fill is part of Adobe’s Firefly and Sensei AI initiatives, available to Creative Cloud subscribers.
• Some users have found the feature disabled or grayed out, leading to frustration.
• A solution exists, but it’s not immediately apparent to most users.

Steps to enable Generative Fill:

1. Verify software version:
   • Check the Photoshop version by selecting “System Info” from the Help menu.
   • Ensure you’re running version 25.0.x or higher.
   • Confirm you’re logged into the Creative Cloud desktop app.
2. Confirm feature unavailability:
   • Open a file and select a raster layer.
   • Draw a selection using the lasso or selection tool.
   • If Generative Fill options remain grayed out, proceed to the next step.
3. Provide birthdate to Behance:

• Access Behance through the Creative Cloud Apps tab.
• Enter your birth month and year when prompted.
• This step is necessary even for users who don’t actively use Behance.

4. Restart Photoshop:
   • Quit and relaunch the application to enable Generative Fill.

Privacy concerns and data sharing: The requirement to share personal information with Behance raises privacy issues for some users.

• Adobe has experienced data breaches in the past, losing millions of users’ confidential information.
• The company’s decision to make Behance a gatekeeper for this feature has been met with some criticism.
• Users must weigh the benefits of accessing Generative Fill against potential privacy risks.

Generative Fill capabilities: Once enabled, the feature allows users to fill selected areas with AI-generated images based on text prompts.

• Results can be hit-or-miss, but some examples show impressive capabilities.
• The author demonstrated the feature by adding a driver to an empty truck cab, noting the realistic shadow details.

Evolving AI landscape: Adobe’s Generative Fill represents an early stage in the integration of AI into creative software tools.

• The feature is expected to improve and evolve over time.
• Users are encouraged to experiment with the tool and provide feedback.

Broader implications: The introduction of Generative Fill highlights the growing influence of AI in creative industries.

• As AI tools become more sophisticated, they may reshape workflows and creative processes.
• The requirement to share personal data to access AI features may become a common trend, raising questions about the balance between innovation and privacy.
• The effectiveness and limitations of current AI-generated content underscore both the potential and challenges of integrating these technologies into professional creative tools.