Adobe puts generative AI at center of creativity, launches new AI tools

“We know that generative technology is not an end but an ingredient in your creative process. It’s an onramp,” Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen said during the keynote address. “We’re focusing on making sure that we integrate it directly into your workflows to fuel your creativity and deliver the power and precision that you expect from us.”

Adobe’s chief business officer of digital media David Wadhwani at this year’s MAX conference in Los Angeles, California. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

In a two-hour-long keynote, held in the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles, California, Adobe debuted several AI models, including Firefly Image 2 — the latest version of the original Firefly AI image generator that powers features like Photoshop’s Generative Fill. The new model is designed to offer higher-resolution images, with the ability to show details like foliage, skin texture, hair, hands, and facial features when rendering photorealistic humans. Adobe says Firefly Image 2 is available to try today via the web-based Firefly beta and is “coming soon” to Creative Cloud apps.

It also announced two new Firefly models for generating vector images and design templates. Adobe claims its new Firefly Vector Model is the first generative AI for creating vector graphics via text prompts and envisions it being used for marketing and ad graphic creation, ideation, and mood boards.

Adobe entered the AI race earlier this year by introducing a new family of generative AI tools called Firefly that creates images, text effects, audio, vectors, and 3D for users. Adobe’s Firefly is one of many generative artificial intelligence image tools, along with Midjourney, DALL-E, and Stable Diffusion. The company says people have generated more than 3 billion images through Adobe Firefly since it was announced earlier this year.

With Firefly, Adobe is introducing AI into its business model. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

The company behind Photoshop is taking a measured approach to rolling out AI features across its popular products and is engaging actively with the creative community through beta releases, hoping to get feedback to make future versions better. Firefly is based on the content found within Adobe’s Stock library, publicly licensed content, and public domain content for which the license has lapsed.

“We’re committed to delivering the highest quality models in a thoughtful and responsible way, with transparency around the data on which they are trained and designed to be commercially safe,” Narayen added.

Adobe Express, the web-based design tool, is also getting AI in the form of the Firefly Design model, which allows you to generate templates with a new Text-to-template feature. Adobe Lightroom, an editing tool used by millions of pro photographers, is getting a new Lens Blur tool that will simulate the look of a high-priced, low F-stop lens. It also showcased GenStudio, a new solution aimed at helping large companies scale on-brand content creation. It integrates Creative Cloud, Firefly, Express, Frame.io, Analytics, AEM Assets, and the company’s Workfront project manager.

Firefly’s users have generated 3 billion images since the service launched earlier this year, with one billion generated last month alone. (image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

“Some people are asking the same question about what generative AI means for that…and while none of us have a crystal ball, the reality is that AI isn’t going away, but neither is the insatiable demand for content,” said David Wadhwani, president of Adobe’s digital media business.

Experts say that the AI-focused news at MAX demonstrates Adobe’s strong focus on bringing generative AI into its suite of apps and services to generate media content and highlights how enterprises are experimenting with AI.

The writer is in Los Angeles at the invitation of Adobe.