Can AI Replace Photoshop? My Deep Dive into AI Photo Editors

When AI photo editing hit the world stage, I was excited to delve into its enticing realm and give it a go.

I loved experimenting with and testing AI to see how far I could push it and how much it could accomplish.

As a photographer and photo editor, editing photos has been a huge part of my weekly life. Let’s admit it, photo editing isn’t all about creativity; it can also be tedious and time-consuming.

I put AI to the test, trying different platforms, to see if it could replace my editing skills.

Would it be faster, more precise, or more creative than I am when using my manual editing skills?

Would AI outshine the capabilities of Photoshop and Lightroom, my trusty photo editing companions?

So, the critical question: has AI made photo editing software like Photoshop and Lightroom redundant?

I have tested several top AI platforms, including Luminar, Pixlr, Snapseed, and Lensa.

Having used Photoshop and Lightroom for decades, I’m well aware of the impact of the new AI editing tools.

But I assure you that Photoshop and Lightroom are far from being redundant.

Read on to discover which AI tools compete with manual ones, and which ones work best as complements.

Can AI Replace Photoshop and Manual Edits?

Powerful AI image editing platforms incorporate one-click editing wonders.

It can feel disempowering to watch AI effortlessly handle everything, from time-consuming tasks and complex edits to simple crops.

AI does have you covered on many fronts. Add a sunset background, tweak the exposure, or remove an element. All can be completed before you decide what to do.

It’s as if AI is the ambitious assistant that threatens to take over the business if you don’t keep your eyes peeled.

But don’t fret; Artificial Intelligence is trained to be capable and fast, and this is why photo editors use it.

However, remember that AI lacks creativity; it can regurgitate human creative ideas, but it has no inspiration.

So, what AI features can you avail of and what’s not quite up to scratch yet?

Let’s get to it. I’ll give you insights into the tools that are useful to incorporate into your daily editing and which to avoid.

Here’s an example of my current editing work process, which combines the best of AI with manual editing in Photoshop.

I retain creative vision and control at all stages of the process. AI is my minion, my little helper.

Tweaking Skin With AI

When editing photos, I start by removing blemishes and smoothing the subjects’ faces.

I like to ensure everyone looks picture-perfect before I adjust the lighting or add elements.

These days, I use AI to enhance skin in full-body shots and portraits. Why? Because AI has been trained to hide skin blemishes, and it can do it in a fraction of the time I can.

You can use any of the top AI platforms,  such as SnapEdit, VanceAI, or Luminar Neo.

AI is the master of focus and thus brilliant for targeting blemishes and smoothing skin. It will take into account the natural tones and shading of skin.

As you can see in the example below, the skin was edited using SnapSeed.

The before photo is above and the after edit photo below.

SnapEdit is a free AI site, so the edits are good, but not always perfect.

After AI is finished, I zoom in to inspect the skin.

If I think it needs an extra touch-up, I will use the Spot Healing brush in Photoshop.

However, for the most part, AI is my go-to for skin edits; it’s fast, focused, and precise.

You can use AI to smooth wrinkles, brighten eyes, and add a subtle, healthy glow to faces.

AI for Upcrop, Blur, and Background Removal

AI is fantastic at flawlessly removing backgrounds from photos. It’s also helpful if you wish to blur a background or to extend (upcrop) a photo.

Quite often, the best shots of people are candid shots, taken when they’re not posing but are relaxed and natural.

Because these photos aren’t staged, there can be distracting or unbalanced elements in the background.

Like this shot below, where the bride is beaming with delight as she inspects her new husband.

The photo would be perfect if the tree weren’t taking central stage, and disrupting the harmony of the photo.

Using AI, we can remove the background, remove the tree, or expand the photo to the left-hand side.

In the image above, AI has removed the background and replaced it with a beach.

The new neutral background creates a balanced composition, allowing the viewer to focus on the romantic interaction between the newlywed couple.

In this image, I added an AI background, but I usually wouldn’t use an AI-generated image when replacing a background.

I prefer to use my own original photos because AI-generated images can be generic and unrealistic.

Alternatively, I might expand (or upcrop) the image using AI, as in the image above.

In the past, I would spend hours using selection tools to edit backgrounds and achieve absolute photo perfection.

Today, I hit a button and the task is completed in a second.

I love how AI can hop to the rescue. Its ability to quickly and correctly select the subject matter makes it a gem tool for editing backgrounds.

AI for Popping Colors 

Ok, there are many options for altering colors using AI, you don’t just have to make them pop.

You can mute them, turn them to grayscale, or add a retro vibe. Plus more!

When it comes to altering colors, the creative steering wheel is firmly placed in my hands.

I don’t let AI make the creative decisions for me.

There are many AI platforms to choose from when you want to enhance the colors in your photos.

Plus, Photoshop has a bunch of AI Neural Filters if you don’t wish to stray from the Adobe editing suite.

However, to be honest, after using Photoshop for decades, I find it easier to enhance images myself.

AI will jump to its favourite position, and I have a particular preference for adjusting the photos’ exposure, levels, and saturation to achieve my desired result.

AI for Damage Repair and Upscaling

I use AI for image repair, such as old photos that are ripped, dusty, or water-damaged.

Many AI apps have been specifically trained on photo restoration and will do a way better job than I ever could manually.

I zoom in after the AI has completed the touch-up and inspect the areas that the AI has edited to see if it has missed anything.

If I have an image that I wish to upgrade, I will always use AI. AI can intelligently analyze and predict which pixels to use to make an image appear higher resolution.

Upscaling an image is something that I would never even dream of wanting to do! I am delighted that artificial intelligence can save my blurry or low-resolution images.

AI and Selection Tools

If you have edited creatively, you have no doubt spent hours obsessing over pixels.

If you’re as nerdy as I am, you will have zoomed in beyond necessary requirements and debated over where to draw the perfect pixel selection line.

Selection tools quickly select objects, skies, and colors specified by you. They’re fast, but if the background is complex, they’re not always precise.

AI-powered selection tools are definitely ones to incorporate into your editing. Correcting any AI errors is also possible manually.

When to Use AI vs Manual Editing

So, when should you use AI, and when is it better to go old-school with manual edits to bring your creative vision to life?

Let’s break it down.

Advantages of AI Over Manual Editing

Fast, speedy, quick, rapid. AI will save you time, cutting out menial, tedious tasks that no one wants to do.

Use it when speed and efficiency matter most, especially for quick enhancements or bulk edits.

It’s also impressively precise, zeroing in on the exact areas that need attention without missing a beat.

Another bonus is that most AI tools offer non-destructive editing, so you can easily undo or refine changes without compromising your original image.

When I Use Manual Editing Over AI

• Cropping: I won’t use AI to crop; I prefer to make the ultimate decision on how my image is composed. One reason for this is that I have trained and earned my photographer’s eye from years of taking and composing photos. Cropping is quick, it isn’t a tricky edit, and it requires a creative eye. AI can do a good job, weighing it up using the rule of thirds, etc, but the more you don’t use your creative eye, the more you lose it.
• Layers: I use layers like chefs use their favourite spices. Compositions of different layers allow me to unleash my full creative force. AI can’t make executive decisions on where to place the layers or how to adjust them for the best results.
• Local Adjustments: This is something that AI can not do. Select specific areas that require adjustment.
• Color adjustments: When it comes to color enhancement, AI has its place, but I prefer to adjust colors myself. Not only because I value creative integrity, but also because I want to keep my artistic eye sharp.
• Creativity: I avoid using AI for creative vision, or my work could end up with predictable, non-unique edits, and clients would stop hiring me. I manually edit when I want complete control over the editing results.

Thoughts on Using AI Effectively

Always zoom in to check details. 

After editing, I am usually so consumed by the glamour of the new image that I miss obvious imperfections.

I’ve learned that it’s a good practice to zoom in and check for clusters or blocks of pixel glitches.

Don’t forget, AI apps are still learning. Artificial intelligence is incredible; no one can deny it. However, it has its shortcomings.

There is a learning curve.

AI tools simplify the editing process, but this doesn’t mean they instinctively know the result you want to achieve.

You will need to take time to become acquainted with the software and how its tools work.

The good news is that most AI software is designed to be intuitive, and many share similar features.

Keep a copy of your original image.

When I first started on my photo editing journey, I cried many times when I destroyed an image and couldn’t revert to the original.

Since then, when I open a photo in Photoshop or AI, I save it immediately as a copy.

This way, I will never lose the original, and I can save my edited work.

Many software programs operate with non-destructive editing, but sometimes they don’t.

Retain your creative integrity.

I would advise using AI for inspiration, but don’t rely on it for creative direction.

Sometimes, one of my favourite aspects of AI is to go wild and experiment with it, adding elements to the image to see how it looks.

However, I will rarely use the suggestions, but quickly flicking through AI’s ideas is a great way to whet my artistic vision.

Lastly, if privacy and copyright are a concern for you, I recommend checking the AI software’s privacy policies.

The Verdict: AI vs. Manual – Which is Best?

Credit: Pavel Danilyuk

My verdict is that neither is the “best.” Instead, I think AI and manual editing are fully compatible, an editing marriage made in heaven.

Photoshop has manual editing tools that AI is unlikely ever to be able to replace, unless humans decide they no longer wish to have creative input.

Although I have embraced AI, I realize that it has its shortcomings.

For instance, sometimes finding the correct prompt for AI can be laborious, or even impossible.

AI and manual editing complement each other, which is why Photoshop has incorporated the most useful AI tools into its software.

This makes using Photoshop a smooth experience, blending AI and manual edits seamlessly.

Where manual tasks become tedious and repetitive, such as resizing an entire album or cutting pixels around a shape, AI can step in.

As a photo editor, I find it invaluable to be able to hand over many of the more tedious tasks to AI.

This means I can edit more efficiently, saving me precious time to be more creative.

If you like, you can hand the creative vision over to AI, but then what’s the point in being a creator?

AI is my little helper —a helper that doesn’t demand my attention or my finances, but happily steps in whenever needed.

At this stage, I don’t find AI to be the incredible inspiration that many tout it to be. Instead, it appears to spit out the same generic regurgitations.

AI falls short on creative spark and inventiveness, but these are the areas in which we humans thrive.

My advice is to ride the AI wave and enjoy the freedom it can bring you. However, don’t succumb to the notion that AI possesses superior creative excellence. That’s just AI gossip.

AI is a tool created to support us humans in doing what we were born to do: be creative and inspired.