Adobe has unveiled its latest addition to the Photoshop family: Generative Fill. This innovative generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool enables users to effortlessly extend images and manipulate objects using simple text prompts. Leveraging Adobe’s AI image generator, Firefly, Generative Fill marks a significant advancement in AI integration within mainstream design applications. Although currently available in beta, Adobe plans to release the feature as part of a full update to Photoshop later this year.

Operating within individual layers of a Photoshop image file, Generative Fill provides three distinct options for users seeking to expand image boundaries or engage in object generation (known as outpainting). While leaving the prompt blank prompts the system to autonomously expand the image, offering minimal user control, providing direction yields superior results. Drawing parallels with Photoshop’s popular Content-Aware Fill feature, Generative Fill elevates the level of user influence in the image generation process.

The results were a mix of impressive and imperfect. While some generated objects, such as cars and puddles, appeared disconnected from the original image, I was astonished by the tool’s proficiency in managing backgrounds and filling voids. In certain examples, Generative Fill even emulated light sources and skillfully “reflected” existing elements within newly generated water.

For seasoned creators familiar with AI image generation tools, these accomplishments may not come as a surprise. However, the integration of such technology into widely adopted applications like Photoshop opens up these capabilities to a much broader audience.

Beyond its functionality, Firefly distinguishes itself with its training data. Adobe asserts that the model exclusively trains on content with proper usage rights, including Adobe Stock images, openly licensed material, and content free from copyright restrictions. This approach offers reassurance to creatives and agencies, alleviating concerns regarding potential legal ramifications associated with AI tools. By ensuring the legality of creations produced with the Generative Fill feature, Adobe supports the commercial usability of such content.

Additionally, Generative Fill incorporates Content Credentials, an attribution system comparable to a “nutrition label” for images. By attaching attribution data to shared images, viewers can ascertain whether the content was created or edited using AI. Verifying Content Credentials is as simple as inspecting the image through verify.contentauthenticity.org, where comprehensive information is readily available.

Related // What is Generative AI?

Ashley Still, Senior Vice President of Digital Media at Adobe, commented, “By integrating Firefly directly into workflows as a creative co-pilot, Adobe is accelerating ideation, exploration, and production for all of our customers. Generative Fill combines the speed and ease of generative AI with the power and precision of Photoshop, empowering customers to bring their visions to life at the speed of their imaginations.”

While Generative Fill is not yet accessible in the official Photoshop release, users can explore its capabilities by downloading the desktop beta app or accessing it as a module within the Firefly beta app. Adobe anticipates a full public release of Generative Fill in the second half of 2023, allowing designers and artists to tap into its creative potential.

Adobe has been steadily infusing its products with AI-powered tools, and Generative Fill stands as the latest addition to this trend. In the previous year’s Adobe Max event, the company introduced several new Photoshop features, including higher-quality object selections driven by Sensei, another of Adobe’s AI models. Firefly is already integrated into Adobe Illustrator for vector-based image recoloring, and Adobe plans to merge Firefly with Adobe Express, a cloud-based design platform rivaling services like Canva, although no official release date has been confirmed yet.

With Generative Fill poised to revolutionize the creative process and expand the boundaries of visual storytelling, Adobe reinforces its commitment to empowering designers, artists, and content creators worldwide. By seamlessly blending AI capabilities with industry-leading design tools, Adobe cements its position at the forefront of digital innovation, ensuring that the power to manifest imaginative visions lies at the fingertips of every creative mind.