Adobe recently introduced Firefly, an artificial intelligence (AI) application that has quickly garnered significant interest in the graphic design world. However, to fully understand the impact of Firefly, it is essential to look at its features, its potential and the challenges it presents.
Firefly: visual generative AI
Firefly is an AI application with two tools that work using prompts, i.e. phrases and keywords. The first tool, accessible online, draws on the Adobe Stock catalog to generate images in response to specific user requests. The first tool, accessible online, The second tool is integrated into Adobe Photoshop and focuses on image retouching, allowing modifications such as adding elements, creating backgrounds, or even dressing models , again using prompts. relies on the Adobe Stock catalog to generate images in response to specific user requests.
Firefly’s goal is ambitious: to provide creatives with automated support for image generation and editing, which could significantly speed up workflows and boost creativity. However, after several tests, including by Audace graphic designers, questions about the effectiveness of the application emerged.
An AI that has limits
One of the main challenges of Firefly is that it does not take into account the subjective aspect of graphic creation. Indeed, visual creation often involves artistic choices, graphic orientations, responses to specific constraints (client, target, graphic charter), and a true artistic sense. Firefly, relying solely on prompts, cannot capture these sensitive aspects of graphic design.
Another notable drawback is the lack of customization. If two users request the same creation at the same time, the result will be identical. For example, an AI-designed garment may appear uniform, but design preferences vary from person to person.
In addition, although powerful, the integration of AI in Adobe Photoshop still has room for improvement. It does not always allow users to modify and refine the generated elements according to their needs, thus limiting their creativity.
Firefly creations of a 3D guided game in a hospital
Audace creation for digital training, a 3D guided game within an EHPAD
Firefly, an assistant for creativity
The ideal approach is to view Firefly as an assistant for creatives rather than an outright replacement. It can be used to generate basic visual ideas and concepts, which users then customize by changing colors, positions, sizes, textures, etc.
In conclusion, Firefly is an interesting innovation from Adobe that opens up new perspectives in the field of graphic design. However, its potential is not yet fully exploited, and challenges remain to make it even more useful to creative professionals. Reflection on how to integrate AI more flexibly into the creative workflow could enable more optimal use of this promising tool.
