A major trend in technology, not just for graphic design, is AI, or artificial intelligence. No longer just something that exists in cheesy mid-20th century Sci-Fi, AI is used in computers, in cell phones, in streaming service algorithms, in creepy “smart home” devices, even in electric cars made by egomaniacal billionaires.
During their 2017 Adobe Max conference, Adobe released Adobe Sensei, a platform that is “designed to collapse the time between marketing ideation and execution”. Adobe Sensei is useful for a number of people in different professions, including data analysts, marketers, designers, and advertisers. For graphic designers, Adobe Sensei can automatically identify faces and buildings in images, which makes them easier to categorize and edit. Adobe Sensei can also make dramatic edits, such as removing an entire car from a video and seamlessly replacing it with pavement.
Wacky stuff.
A few new features in Adobe Photoshop’s 2021 update utilize the capabilities of AI technology. Sky Replacement, Refine Hair, Pattern Preview, Live Shapes, and, perhaps most excitingly, Neural Filters. However, there are risks to using Neural Filters. The technology to make Neural Filters look 100% realistic isn’t quite there, but considering the speed at which technology is improved, it will be soon. And when it is, designers will have the power to alter people’s expressions and skin color in photos. Unethical use of this technology could have negative effects on the people in the photos and the audience for them.
With AI being so integrated into Adobe products, this means that AI for graphic design is both inaccessible and accessible depending on the person. The full Adobe Creative Cloud Suite costs a staggering $635 a year, with individual programs costing $20.99 a month. This is a fairly hefty price to pay, but it’s an absolute necessity for any graphic designer since Adobe has its claws fully hooked into the industry.