Adobe has just revealed a bunch of updates to its Creative Cloud software as part of this year's Adobe MAX event, and just like last year, it seems the company is going all-in on AI. The latest Photoshop update includes a nifty new masking tool, and it's pretty incredible.
Hover masking (or Hover Auto-masking Object Selection if you're feeling technical) does exactly what it says on the tin – simply by hovering over an object, the user can select it – with Adobe's Sensei AI detecting the edges. No more painstakingly drawing around the edges with the Lasso tool. (Ready to start creating? Check out the best Adobe deals available now).
Just like magic (Image credit: Adobe)
Adobe says the Object Selection tool "has been significantly improved – just hover over the object you want to select in the image and a single click will select it." The tool can detect "most objects" within an image, and Adobe is constantly improving the Sensei AI machine. And if anything is not detected or is only partially detected, you can simply click and drag a marquee over any of the areas you’d like to select.
The company promises that the Object Selection tools "are now more accurate and preserve more details in the edges of a selection, which means you spend less time getting those perfect selections." Indeed, it surely doesn't get much faster than simply, you know, hovering over an object to select it.
Adobe's Sensei AI engine has been impressing us since 2020. Last year, the company revealed several Neural Filters, which allow seriously impressive edits such as changing the direction of a person's face, and (for better or worse), adjusting its age.
Of course, anything that speeds up workflow can only be a good thing for creatives. Not only is Adobe speeding up tools such as Object Selection, but it's also streamlining the collaboration process this year – with Photoshop and Illustrator on the Web, users will be able to review and even make light edits to Photoshop files from their browser.
Daniel John is Senior News Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of art, design, branding and lifestyle tech (which often translates to tech made by Apple). He joined in 2020 after working in copywriting and digital marketing with brands including ITV, NBC, Channel 4 and more.
