Adobe updates Photoshop and Illustrator with new generative AI tools — fill in shapes with AI patterns, transform mockups into 3D objects, and more

Adobe Generative Shape Fill
(Image credit: Adobe)

Adobe is introducing a range of helpful AI updates to its Photoshop and Illustrator apps this week, focusing on boosting your productivity.

In a blog post, Adobe explains what’s new in Photoshop, its photo-editing app. A new ‘Selection Brush Tool’ lets users easily separate and adjust different layers in a project, enabling them to add new backgrounds with no rough overlaps between layers. Previously in beta, both Generate Image, an Adobe AI feature that can create images from a text prompt, and Adjustment Brush Tool are now available for all users. The new Brush Tool can change the color of certain objects in an image, such as hair, a vehicle, or a sign. Using AI, Photoshop will know which part of the image you’re trying to manipulate, ensuring that the new color won’t bleed out of the selected object.

In another blog post, Adobe lays out the latest updates currently rolling out to Illustrator, the company’s graphic and vector-editing app. Generative Shape Fill can fill in a vector shape with a variety of colors and patterns using an AI text prompt. Mockup, a new beta feature, transforms any rough drawing you make within the app into a 3D object that can be displayed on products like cereal boxes and more, helping to give users a better idea the mockup fits a certain brief. In addition, Text to Pattern has been improved to offer more refined colors and shapes generated from text prompts.

All of these features are now available for Adobe Creative Cloud users on Mac. If you don’t see them, open the ‘Creative Cloud’ app, then press ‘Check Updates’ to see if you’ve got the latest versions of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

Will Apple Intelligence offer similar features when it’s available?

Apple Intelligence

(Image credit: Apple)

With Adobe rolling out these AI features to its suite of apps, you might be wondering whether Apple will be offering something similar once Apple Intelligence, its own set of AI features, is made available to U.S. users later this year on the best iPhones, Macs, and iPads.

In short: not exactly. For example, Image Playground, shown above, is Apple’s take on generative AI, offering three styles: Animation, Illustration, or Sketch. After you type in a description within the app, Apple Intelligence will create an image that you can share in apps such as Messages, Mail, and more.

A similar feature to Adobe’s Adjustment Brush Tool is the Clean Up tool in Apple’s Photos app. Once available, you’ll be able to remove distracting objects in photos thanks to Apple Intelligence.

Both of these features from Apple will be helpful to those who may want to generate images or edit their own photos. However, if you’ve been using Photoshop and Illustrator for a while, Adobe’s new features are available right now and can even help you visualize how your projects might look on products such as drink cans and posters.

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Daryl Baxter
Features Editor

Daryl is iMore's Features Editor, overseeing long-form and in-depth articles and op-eds. Daryl loves using his experience as both a journalist and Apple fan to tell stories about Apple's products and its community, from the apps we use every day to the products that have been long forgotten in the Cupertino archives.

Previously Software & Downloads Writer at TechRadar, and Deputy Editor at StealthOptional, he's also written a book, 'The Making of Tomb Raider', which tells the story of the beginnings of Lara Croft and the series' early development. His second book, '50 Years of Boss Fights', came out in June 2024, and has a monthly newsletter called 'Springboard'. He's also written for many other publications including WIRED, MacFormat, Bloody Disgusting, VGC, GamesRadar, Nintendo Life, VRV Blog, The Loop Magazine, SUPER JUMP, Gizmodo, Film Stories, TopTenReviews, Miketendo64, and Daily Star.