Adobe has been leaning heavily into artificial intelligence over the past year, gradually weaving AI tools across its creative software lineup. From generative image models to AI assistants inside its apps, the company has been pushing toward a future where editing and design rely less on manual steps and more on simple prompts. Now, that push is reaching one of its most iconic tools: Photoshop.
This week, Adobe announced that its new AI Assistant for Photoshop is entering public beta on the web and mobile versions of the app. The feature allows users to edit images simply by describing what they want, turning Photoshop into something closer to a conversational creative tool.
"Using AI Assistant in Photoshop is as simple as describing the edits you want – like removing distractions, changing backgrounds, refining lighting, or adjusting color," Adobe said.
The assistant works much like a chatbot embedded inside the editing interface. A user can type or even speak a prompt describing an edit, and the AI will either apply the change automatically or guide the user through the steps needed to achieve the result. That second option is especially useful for beginners, since it effectively turns the assistant into a built-in tutor that explains how the edits work while performing them.
Adobe is also introducing a feature called AI Markup, currently in public beta on Photoshop for the web. With AI Markup, users can draw directly on parts of an image and attach prompts to those markings.
For example, someone could circle an empty area of a photo and ask Photoshop to add flowers, mountains, or another visual element. The tool then generates the edit in the specific region that was highlighted, giving creators more control over where AI changes appear.
Alongside Photoshop’s AI assistant, Adobe is also expanding the capabilities of Firefly, its AI-powered media creation platform. The Firefly Image Editor now includes tools like Generative Fill, Generative Remove, Generative Expand, and Generative Upscale, which allow users to add objects, erase distractions, extend an image’s canvas, or increase resolution using AI. A one-click background removal tool has also been added, streamlining one of the most common editing tasks.
"With its latest updates, the Firefly Image Editor brings powerful tools into one streamlined workspace, so you can quickly shape composition, style and detail across AI-generated or uploaded images," the company said.
Adobe says these updates are designed for a wide range of creators, from students and hobbyists to marketers, illustrators, and professional designers. Paid Photoshop subscribers will get unlimited AI generations through April 9, while free users will be able to try the assistant with 20 generations to start.
Louis Eriakha
