Revolutionizing Art: Photoshop's Text-to-Image Generation

Adobe's Photoshop can now generate AI images via prompts like ...

Adobe has recently rolled out a new and potentially controversial feature in Photoshop - text-to-image generation powered by Firefly. This feature was first teased in April. Similar to LLMs such as Dall-E and Midjourney, users can now input a textual description to create an image from scratch using Photoshop’s updated generative AI tool.

Testing the Feature

I decided to put this feature to the test by providing the prompt: “Dramatic low angle view of a steamship from the 1800s in a storm with large waves and lightning” in various styles including anime, watercolor, sketch, and realistic. The results were decent, although typical AI art caveats still applied, especially in terms of minor details upon closer inspection. Nevertheless, the generated images were usable, and the advantage of being able to edit them within Photoshop was a significant benefit.

Enhanced Creative Capabilities

Prior to this update, Photoshop’s Generative Fill feature only allowed users to manipulate specific parts of an image. With the new text-to-image generation feature, users can now create images from scratch and make adjustments later on. According to Adobe’s Erin Boyce, this enhancement significantly accelerates the time it takes to bring ideas from the mind to the canvas, making the creative process more streamlined and efficient.

Addressing Concerns

The feature is powered by the Firefly Image 3 model, which has been at the center of a recent backlash from artists against Adobe. Some creators were alarmed by the language in Adobe’s terms of service, fearing that their work could be used without consent to train the company’s generative AI models.

In response to these concerns, Adobe reassured its users of its commitment to creator-friendly AI practices, emphasizing that they will never use customer content for training purposes. The company pledged to uphold ethical AI principles of accountability, responsibility, and transparency in its practices.

Additional Features

Aside from image generation, Adobe also introduced an “Enhance Detail” feature in Photoshop’s Generative Fill. For Illustrator users, new features like Generative Shape Fill, Enhanced Text to Pattern, and Style Reference were added to enhance the design process. A Mockup tool was also included to create high-quality visual prototypes on various objects like product packaging, along with improved selection capabilities and more.