Photoshop: Cutouts with Sensei

Archive notice: This article was originally published on November 29, 2017. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
With Adobe Sensei, Adobe has for some time been implementing more and more features that work with AI and machine learning. At this year’s Max conference, among other things, there were eleven future technologies to see. Adobe has now published a sneak peek for a new Photoshop feature called “Subject Select”.

Select Subject with Sensei

In the video, Adobe shows the new cutout tool in comparison with the conventional tools. While the previous tools are known to require several steps, the new AI-based tool manages with one click. “Select Subject” automatically creates a mask that can then be adjusted as usual. Although the results still require fine-tuning, they look promising at first glance. It is noticeable that the subjects in the sample images are highlighted either by depth of field or a very bright background. Smaller problems with the selection can be seen in the penultimate image, in which a woman, a man and two dogs are standing on a rocky shore. In the selection, the transitions between the man’s trousers and the water, as well as the dogs’ paws and the stones, are not precisely cut out. Nevertheless, a time-saving result for a one-click operation.

When Will the Tool Arrive?

So far, there is no exact date for the new tool, but with this demonstration we expect it to be implemented in one of the next major updates.

For more information: To the Adobe website