In a major update, Adobe Photoshop is embracing generative AI, offering users the ability to generate images with simple text prompts directly within the app. This groundbreaking feature, aptly named “Generate Image,” appears alongside the traditional option of importing images into Photoshop.
Adobe’s commitment to AI extends beyond image generation. The company has also enhanced its Generative Fill feature, which previously allowed users to add, extend, or remove specific parts of an image. Now, users can seamlessly integrate AI-generated images into existing ones, creating cohesive and visually stunning compositions.
These updates are powered by Adobe’s latest AI model, Firefly Image 3, which delivers higher-quality images, provides more variations, and boasts a deeper understanding of user prompts. Adobe claims that over 7 billion images have been generated using Firefly to date.
Adobe’s venture into generative AI aligns with a growing trend in the tech industry. Companies of all sizes are integrating AI capabilities into their products and services, seeking to enhance user experiences and drive innovation. Google and Microsoft, for instance, have incorporated AI into their search engines and productivity suites, respectively.
While the impact of these AI advancements remains uncertain, Adobe’s updates to Photoshop appear to offer tangible benefits to creators. The company reports a 30 percent increase in Photoshop subscriptions attributed to its new AI features.
Amidst the excitement surrounding generative AI, concerns about potential misuse have also arisen. Artists and authors have expressed concerns about the training of foundational models on copyrighted media without consent or compensation. Adobe assures users that Firefly was trained on licensed media from Adobe Stock, as it is intended for commercial use. However, a recent report suggests that Firefly may also have been trained on AI-generated images from competitors.
To address concerns about the spread of disinformation, Adobe has introduced tamper-proof “Content Credentials” for all images created using generative AI tools in Photoshop. These digital “nutrition labels” indicate that an image was generated with AI and are embedded in the file’s metadata. However, it should be noted that there are still ways to bypass metadata and watermarks, potentially undermining this defense mechanism.
The new AI-powered features will be available in beta for Photoshop starting today and will be rolled out to all users later this year. Additionally, Adobe offers free access to Firefly 3 on its website, allowing users to experiment with image generation without committing to a Photoshop subscription.
