Photoshop tests an all-in-one AI toolbar you can sketch on

Hunting down generative tools across Photoshop's endless submenus can get tedious fast.

Adobe is rolling out a new beta interface called the "AI Assisted Editor" that pulls its core AI features into a single, simplified toolbar. That includes its prompt-based image editor, background remover, and AI image extender.

Ditching text prompts for doodles

Along with the streamlined toolbar comes a new "markup" tool. Instead of typing detailed prompts, you can draw directly on the canvas to show Photoshop what you want.

That means you can sketch arrows to indicate position, brush rough shapes to suggest where new objects should appear, or highlight areas to recolor without touching the keyboard.

Adobe also upgraded its "Instruct Edit with Masks" tool using Firefly Image 5. Because the model now grasps the full context of an image, you no longer have to manually brush a mask over every single pixel. You can simply ask it to open closed eyes or drop a hat on someone's head using natural language.

Why it matters

Prompting an AI with text often feels completely backwards when you are working on a visual canvas. Letting creators just circle a problem or draw an arrow brings the process much closer to how designers actually communicate.

We think Adobe is making a smart move by isolating these features into a dedicated workspace. It lowers the barrier for casual users intimidated by Photoshop's complexity, while giving pros a faster way to make micro-edits without derailing their workflow.