ADOBE MAX WAS FIREWORKS. YOUR CLIENTS DON’T PAY FOR FIREWORKS.
Adobe Max put AI everywhere. Cool show. But real value for designers isn’t the next button… it’s your pipeline, strategy, and outcomes. Here’s where Adobe’s AI actually helps today (hello, Topaz Upscale in Photoshop), where it still trips, and how to elevate your practice so you’re not replaceable when features get automated.
TL;DR
MAX was gorgeous. My workflow? Still tripping over Adobe’s dated interface. Third-party models inside Adobe sound powerful; in beta they’re… moody. The win right now: integrated upscaling in Photoshop (Topaz under the hood) so I can finish MJ/Gemini frames to big, crisp, print-safe sizes without leaving CC. Stop hoarding features. Build pipelines, strategy, and outcomes clients actually feel.
Cold open: the reality check
MAX gave us the fireworks show: partner models in Photoshop, “future of video,” assistants that promise to read our minds. I left hopeful—and then remembered it’s all still trapped in Adobe’s old interface puzzle.
I’ve been testing. Nano Banana in Photoshop feels backwards—more additive party tricks than reliably generative in a useful way. Sometimes it lands. Sometimes it shrugs at your prompt like, “nah.” The model picker is cute. The workflow still drags its feet.
Meanwhile, designers are split: half excited, half muttering “So I’m a prompt engineer now?” I get it. The fun used to be making. Now the fun is deciding what to keep.
Adobe AI Assistant
Where Adobe actually helps today (and where it doesn’t)
| Task | Adobe-native (today) | 3rd-party inside Adobe (today) | Takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exploration (style range, weird ideas) | Firefly is safe/commercial but tame. | Model switcher (e.g., Nano Banana, FLUX) adds variety—beta can be moody. | Explore faster outside Adobe (MJ/Gemini/FLUX), import keepers. |
| Production polish (client-facing finish) | Harmonize, masking, delivery inside CC. | Topaz-powered Generative Upscale in Photoshop = big quality bump. | Clear win: finish in PS; upscale, harmonize, export, ship. |
| Video | Premiere AI masks; mobile app for Shorts. | Announced model integrations look promising. | Promising but early—don’t anchor deadlines to sneaks. |
| Voice & music | Handy drafts for VO/music in Express/Firefly. | ElevenLabs voice in-app for temp VO/multilingual. | Great for drafts and speed; final polish as needed. |
What did Adobe Max 2025 mean for designers?
Buttons won’t save you. Pipelines will. When tools are pitched to replace creatives, your advantage isn’t pressing the newest button — it’s designing the system around it.
LLM research that matters: audience language, objections, emotional drivers → reverse brief that actually guides visuals.
Creative systems, not one‑offs: territories, constraints, reusability, motion rules, mockup kits.
New value for clients: lightweight custom GPTs, AI content kits, motion extensions, rapid testing pipelines.
Taste stays undefeated: AI can spit 100 options. Only you can pick the one that sticks in the market.
How do I build a 10‑minute AI finishing loop?
Explore in MidJourney / Gemini (go wide).
Pull the keepers into Photoshop.
Generative Upscale (Topaz under the hood) to punch edges and textures to poster‑size.
Harmonize colour/light for realism.
Export. Present. Smile like you didn’t fight six panels to get there.
This alone made my week — taking MJ/Gemini frames to big, print‑safe formats inside CC. No round‑trip. That’s real production value.
Where does Adobe’s AI help and where doesn’t it?
Firefly: safe, tame, commercially comfortable.
Nano Banana (Gemini 2.5 Flash Image): targeted edits/consistency — when the beta behaves. If it stalls, use the Gemini app natively, then re‑import.
FLUX: realistic lighting and texture when you need less “stock.”
The uncomfortable bit (we’ll be fine)
Yes, some features read like they’re marketed to replace us. That’s the point: businesses buy speed. We sell judgment. If you want to stay irreplaceable, stop demo‑chasing and start designing pipelines, decisions, and outcomes your clients can feel in results.
FAQs
Is Adobe now “good enough” to ditch third-party tools?
Not yet. The open model switch is great, but exploration quality still varies. Use Adobe for finishing and delivery; keep rapid ideation in your strongest external tools.
Where’s the real value for senior designers?
In strategy and systems—not buttons. LLM research, brand reasoning, critique loops, and reusable systems beat “cool feature” demos over a campaign lifecycle.
Why do my Photoshop beta results feel inconsistent with Nano Banana?
It’s early. If it blocks you, switch to the Gemini app, get the edit you want, then re-import to finish in PS.
What actually excited you?
Topaz inside Photoshop. Taking your MJ/Gemini images to crisp, large formats without leaving CC is instantly valuable for production.