Photoshop is practically bursting at the seams with new generative AI tools these days. As someone who spends way too much time testing AI image generators, I know firsthand that "AI-powered" can mean anything from genuinely useful to hilariously bad. So I was excited to see where the AI in Adobe's flagship program ranked.
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I was pleasantly surprised by how Photoshop's AI worked and I compiled all my experience using Photoshop's AI into this guide. But to be clear, the AI tools certainly won't be for everyone, especially the pros who know Photoshop inside and out. If you're a beginner or someone looking for help parsing which Photoshop AI tools are worth exploring, this is for you.
Before you use Adobe's AI, you will have to agree to its AI terms of service, which includes the company's policy on prohibiting illegal and abusive uses of its AI. You can find these features in Photoshop on desktop, web and now even on your phone. For more, check out Adobe's newest AI audio tools and Photoshop's upcoming AI assistant that can automatically rename all your layers for you.
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How to create AI images using Photoshop
Adobe's AI image model Firefly is available as a separate app and embedded in Photoshop so you can use it wherever is easiest for you. If you're already creating in Photoshop, here's how to access Firefly.
Open your Photoshop project. If you're using the most recent version of PS, the contextual taskbar should include an option that says Generate image. Navigate to Edit, then click Generate image. You can also click the icon that looks like an image with an arrow and sparkle in the toolbar on the left side. Enter your prompt, specify the style and upload any reference images. Click Generate. Tab through the different variations by using the arrows in the taskbar below.
When you're writing your prompt, don't be afraid to add a lot of detail, and put the most important elements at the beginning. Check out our AI image prompt-writing guide for more tips to get better results. If you're not in love with the images, you can click the image pop-out window or the icon with four squares to adjust your prompt and reference images. You can tap the three vertical dots on the end of the pin bar to give feedback on the generations, remove the background or generate similar images. If you still don't like what you have, I recommend starting over with a new prompt rather than trying to endlessly tweak and generate, hoping to get it right.
How to use generative features in Photoshop
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