Adobe is rolling out a number of new AI features to Photoshop and Illustrator that aim to speed up the design process and offer more control and variety to users. By using Adobe’s Firefly generative AI models, the company suggests it will take a fraction of the time it currently takes to manually produce minute image details.
One of the most notable new features is the Generative Shape Fill feature, which fills shapes with detailed vector graphics based on text prompts, like the one in the image above. Firefly Vector’s AI model takes care of the rest, and suddenly you have multiple options for logos and other branding materials.
A graphic designer working on a new logo for a tech startup could use Generative Shape Fill to quickly generate complex vector patterns and shapes that align with the brand’s futuristic theme. By entering specific text prompts like “geometric tech shapes” or “futuristic circuits,” the designer can explore various intricate designs without having to manually draw each element.
Smarter patterns
To create a pattern from scratch, the new Text to Pattern option does what the name suggests and turns a text message into a scalable vector pattern. If you don’t know how to describe exactly what you want, there’s even a new Style Reference feature that takes uploaded images as inspiration for creation using Adobe AI. Similarly, the new Rewrite feature can edit otherwise static text and offer ideas for a font to match the image.
New Photoshop-specific AI features focus more on streamlining the often repetitive tasks required to edit images. The Selection Brush Tool and Adjustment Brush Tool do what their names suggest and make it easier to select and adjust parts of an image with the help of AI to separate elements more precisely.
The new AI features are more than just digital aids. The Dimension tool can make precise size measurements, while the Mockup feature can produce visual prototypes that conform to the curves and edges of real objects. So an architect designing a new residential building could accurately map out plans and elevations using the Dimension tool, while a fashion designer could apply Mockup to their designs to see how they look on different types of clothing.
See in the
AI Visualization
As good as the AI tools are, Adobe remains mired in the debate over how its Firefly AI models are trained. The company has recently made it clear that it will not use projects created by its customers for AI training, but the broader conflict over ethical AI and synthetic media is far from resolved.
Still, the AI enhancement of Illustrator and Photoshop marks a milestone in Adobe’s technology strategy. And Adobe has plenty of utopian ideals, at least in its official philosophy. The company described its goal for the new AI tools as not just increasing productivity but also creativity. The idea is that AI will help designers push the boundaries of their vision.
“Adobe’s new innovations in Illustrator and Photoshop are integrated directly into designers’ existing workflows, offering new ways to create and helping them work faster and focus on what they do best – drawing, designing and bringing their creative visions to life,” said Adobe senior vice president of digital media Ashley Still in a statement about the new features.
