AI Sharpen

Adobe has integrated a noise-aware sharpening model from Topaz Labs directly into Lightroom. The AI Sharpen feature is designed to recover and enhance fine details—such as the texture of flower petals, individual strands of hair, and foliage—without the need to export to a third-party plug-in. This makes it an immediate time-saver for photographers who previously relied on external workflows for advanced sharpening.

Assisted Culling (Now Generally Available)

Sorting through thousands of images from a shoot is often the most tedious part of a photographer's job. Assisted Culling, which moves out of beta with this release, uses AI to analyze and group images. It can identify individual subjects, sort by whether eyes are open and sharp, and use a Stacking feature to group similar bursts and suggest the strongest frame.

Photoshop: On-Device AI and Reflection Removal

Two major AI features headline the Photoshop updates, balancing raw processing power with practical, everyday fixes.

On-Device Remove Tool

Photoshop version 27.7, released in May 2026, introduces an optional on-device AI model for the popular Remove tool. This allows users to perform object removal locally on their machine without any cloud processing. However, the feature comes with significant caveats. It requires a separate model download, Adobe automatically checks for hardware compatibility before allowing it, and the system requirements are described as "steep." Users can switch freely between cloud and on-device processing at any time.

Reflection Removal

Automatically removing large, full-image reflections caused by shooting through a window or glass is now possible with a non-destructive Reflection Removal feature. First introduced in Photoshop 27.6 (April 2026), it works as a Camera Raw filter and generates the reflection-free result on a separate layer, ensuring the original image is preserved. It’s important to note the tool’s current limitation: it is designed for large window reflections and is not effective for removing small glare spots, such as those from eyeglasses.

Premiere Pro: Muting and Masking

Video editors get two quality-of-life improvements, one of which carries a major misconception that needs clarifying.

Global Audio Mute

Premiere Pro now has a Global Audio Mute button that silences all audio in the sequence at once without altering individual clip or track volume settings. A critical clarification was issued by Adobe’s community team: this feature only affects playback monitoring. It does not mute audio in exported video files, nor does it disable audio tracks. Its primary use is for reviewing visuals without distraction or working in shared spaces.

Faster AI Object Masking

The AI-powered Object Masking tool, which allows editors to select and track complex moving subjects with a simple hover and click, has been refined for improved speed and accuracy. New Sharp and Smooth edge modes offer more precise mask refinement, and if the connection to source media is lost, masks can now be regenerated without starting the entire process over.

After Effects: Goodbye Roto Brush, Hello AI

Motion graphics artists and compositors received a long-awaited AI replacement for a classic tool, along with better asset integration.

• AI-powered Object Matte: An AI-based matting tool replaces the older Roto Brush, promising more accurate and efficient object isolation. This feature was documented as part of the April 2026 update.
• SVG Import Support: After Effects can now import SVG files directly. These files can be brought in as standard footage or as a full composition with native shape layers, greatly simplifying the workflow for designers using vector assets from Illustrator.

Illustrator: Sketches Become Vectors

The standout update for designers is Concept to Vector, released with Illustrator 30.5 (May/June 2026). This feature allows users to take hand-drawn sketches or low-resolution raster images and, with a text prompt, transform them into stylized, editable vector artwork. It supports multiple output styles, such as line art, geometric, and textured.

A key technical detail for professionals is that Concept to Vector uses third-party partner AI models—not Adobe’s Firefly—and consumes generative credits at a different rate. The feature is not available in mainland China.

AI Sharpen

Adobe has integrated a noise-aware sharpening model from Topaz Labs directly into Lightroom. The AI Sharpen feature is designed to recover and enhance fine details—such as the texture of flower petals, individual strands of hair, and foliage—without the need to export to a third-party plug-in. This makes it an immediate time-saver for photographers who previously relied on external workflows for advanced sharpening.

Assisted Culling (Now Generally Available)

Sorting through thousands of images from a shoot is often the most tedious part of a photographer's job. Assisted Culling, which moves out of beta with this release, uses AI to analyze and group images. It can identify individual subjects, sort by whether eyes are open and sharp, and use a Stacking feature to group similar bursts and suggest the strongest frame.

Photoshop: On-Device AI and Reflection Removal

Two major AI features headline the Photoshop updates, balancing raw processing power with practical, everyday fixes.

On-Device Remove Tool

Photoshop version 27.7, released in May 2026, introduces an optional on-device AI model for the popular Remove tool. This allows users to perform object removal locally on their machine without any cloud processing. However, the feature comes with significant caveats. It requires a separate model download, Adobe automatically checks for hardware compatibility before allowing it, and the system requirements are described as "steep." Users can switch freely between cloud and on-device processing at any time.

Reflection Removal

Automatically removing large, full-image reflections caused by shooting through a window or glass is now possible with a non-destructive Reflection Removal feature. First introduced in Photoshop 27.6 (April 2026), it works as a Camera Raw filter and generates the reflection-free result on a separate layer, ensuring the original image is preserved. It’s important to note the tool’s current limitation: it is designed for large window reflections and is not effective for removing small glare spots, such as those from eyeglasses.

Premiere Pro: Muting and Masking

Video editors get two quality-of-life improvements, one of which carries a major misconception that needs clarifying.

Global Audio Mute

Premiere Pro now has a Global Audio Mute button that silences all audio in the sequence at once without altering individual clip or track volume settings. A critical clarification was issued by Adobe’s community team: this feature only affects playback monitoring. It does not mute audio in exported video files, nor does it disable audio tracks. Its primary use is for reviewing visuals without distraction or working in shared spaces.

Faster AI Object Masking

The AI-powered Object Masking tool, which allows editors to select and track complex moving subjects with a simple hover and click, has been refined for improved speed and accuracy. New Sharp and Smooth edge modes offer more precise mask refinement, and if the connection to source media is lost, masks can now be regenerated without starting the entire process over.

After Effects: Goodbye Roto Brush, Hello AI

Motion graphics artists and compositors received a long-awaited AI replacement for a classic tool, along with better asset integration.

• AI-powered Object Matte: An AI-based matting tool replaces the older Roto Brush, promising more accurate and efficient object isolation. This feature was documented as part of the April 2026 update.
• SVG Import Support: After Effects can now import SVG files directly. These files can be brought in as standard footage or as a full composition with native shape layers, greatly simplifying the workflow for designers using vector assets from Illustrator.

Illustrator: Sketches Become Vectors

The standout update for designers is Concept to Vector, released with Illustrator 30.5 (May/June 2026). This feature allows users to take hand-drawn sketches or low-resolution raster images and, with a text prompt, transform them into stylized, editable vector artwork. It supports multiple output styles, such as line art, geometric, and textured.

A key technical detail for professionals is that Concept to Vector uses third-party partner AI models—not Adobe’s Firefly—and consumes generative credits at a different rate. The feature is not available in mainland China.