Adobe Unveils Firefly 3: Full AI Image Generation Now Integrated in Photoshop

Adobe, a creative software pioneer since 1982, is poised to continue its legacy in the generative AI era.

Today, the company unveiled a suite of Gen AI enhancements for Photoshop, integrating the image generation capabilities of the newly launched Firefly Image 3 AI model directly into the application. Firefly Image 3 will also be available as a stand-alone web app, following its predecessors.

Now, instead of generating images with the stand-alone Firefly web app, users can simply click the new “Generate Image” option in Photoshop. By entering a text prompt or choosing from a selection of pre-set options, users can quickly generate images in just a few seconds.

Addressing the ‘empty page’ dilemma, Zeke Koch, Adobe's VP of Generative AI Product Management, explained, “We noticed many new Photoshop users were getting stuck with the ‘empty page’ problem.” He emphasized that generating images opens up access to Photoshop’s extensive toolkit—over 70 tools and hundreds of settings designed for image creation and editing.

By embedding Gen AI capabilities, Adobe aims to enhance its leadership in graphic design and engage a new audience drawn to experimenting with generative AI.

Building on the success of the Generative Fill feature introduced in May 2023, Audrey Sousa, Principal Product Manager for Photoshop, highlighted that the new “Generate Image” feature empowers new users to realize their creative visions. Generative Fill enabled users to highlight parts of existing images and replace or augment them using text prompts, exemplifying creativity by converting a cowboy's lasso into spaghetti.

With the new Generate Image feature, users can create entire images from scratch, revolutionizing their creative processes. Additionally, Adobe is enhancing Generative Fill by introducing a “Reference Image” tool. Users can upload an image—a sketch, logo, or asset—that Firefly will use to guide the AI-generated content.

Adobe is also launching the “Generate Background” feature, which simplifies the creation of seamless backdrops, a top request from users. As Sousa noted, “Generate Background provides numerous options and harmonizes the user’s image with the background.” This feature is invaluable for brands marketing physical products, enabling users to easily remove backgrounds and generate new ones tailored to specific themes.

Koch explained the utility of these enhancements for creating cohesive marketing assets: “You used to have to take products into a lightbox for different seasons. Now, we can automatically generate the background, shadows, and reflections, making the product appear naturally embedded.”

In addition to Generate Image and Background, Adobe introduces the “Generate Similar” feature, allowing variations of images, and “Enhance Detail,” which improves image sharpness and intricacy. All these features are now available in the latest Photoshop (beta) app for desktop, with a subscription starting at $22.99 per month.

As part of its Gen AI commitment, Adobe emphasizes ethical practices like accountability, responsibility, and transparency. Firefly has been trained exclusively on licensed content, such as Adobe Stock, ensuring it generates content for commercial use without infringing copyright or trademark rights. Adobe also offers IP indemnification for content created with Firefly.

To maintain credibility, Adobe integrates “Content Credentials,” metadata embedded in AI-generated images that indicates their origin. While concerns about AI training data remain, Adobe’s approach aims to foster confidence in its generative AI capabilities as the industry evolves.