Adobe introduced a beta version of AI Assisted Editor in Photoshop, adding a prompt-based interface alongside its traditional Pro Editor.
Adobe is expanding its software ecosystem with a fresh approach to digital creation. The company rolled out an optional editing mode in Photoshop called AI Assisted Editor, designed to let users modify images using conversational instructions rather than intricate manual adjustments.
How the New AI Assisted Editor Mode Works
When launching Photoshop, users can choose between two primary workspaces: the traditional Pro Editor and the new AI Assisted Editor. While veteran designers may remain comfortable with manual layer controls, the alternative interface offers a streamlined, conversational approach for simpler editing tasks. Users access the mode through a menu bar toggle that can also be hidden via settings.
Inside the workspace, a vertical toolbar provides seven distinct functions. These include prompt to edit (using natural language prompts), remove background, generative expand (extend image dimensions), remove tool (eliminate unwanted objects), generative fill (add, replace, or remove content), generative upscale (increase image resolution), and AI markup (annotate images). The prompt to edit function could be the biggest game changer, allowing users to change out the image entirely with a natural language prompt.
Adobe also announced several other new features on Thursday — a light adjustment layer for more lighting controls, Instruct Edit with Masks for prompt-based editing, and Markup to let you visually communicate edits by drawing on an image. AI Assistant arrived in March to enable editing with conversational commands, and in June, the company added AI assistants to Photoshop, Premiere Pro, InDesign, Illustrator and Frame.io. Earlier this month, OpenAI and Adobe teamed up to integrate dozens of photo- and video-editing capabilities into ChatGPT.
Precision Features and Model Support
Beyond conversational text prompts, the new mode introduces visual controls. With the Markup tool, users can just roughly draw, or click on any region of the image, and add natural-language instructions such as Add more clouds,
change this shoe,
or Add a banner with the text ON SALE NOW.
Adobe Firefly will then make the adjustments, and users can further tweak the results either in AI Assisted Edit mode or by continuing to the traditional Pro Editor. The Markup tool is particularly interesting for users who are new to image editing or for experienced users working on a rough concept or needing to quickly sketch out a tweak.
Prompt to Edit global allows users to change the whole image at once, supporting multiple models.
Non-Destructive Adjustments and Masked Editing
Alongside the conversational workspace, Adobe launched several precision options for what the company called more precise, sharper editing.
Another new feature making its way to Photoshop is support for prompt-based masked edits, which let users roughly select just the portion of the image they want Firefly Image 5 to edit. Adobe says this addresses much of the criticism of the current prompt-based editor, which can occasionally reduce image quality or generate results that aren’t always globally aligned with the lighting or angle of the subject being edited.
Another new feature making its way to Photoshop is a new non-destructive layer tool for light adjustments. That includes adjustments for Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, Shadows, Whites, and Blacks, so you get Camera Raw-level results without ever leaving your Photoshop layers.
Pricing, Ecosystem Integration, and Availability
The AI Assisted Editor is currently being tested in the beta version of Photoshop, which costs $23 per month. AI Assisted Editor is available in beta starting today, while the other tools are deployed in version stable. Dynamic Text is extended to shapes and custom paths, and Adobe Stock integration provides more than 900 million assets accessible directly in a dockable panel.
