What happens when your favorite design tools stop being just tools—and start thinking alongside you?

At Adobe MAX London 2025, that question took center stage. This wasn’t just a product showcase. It was Adobe’s clearest signal yet that generative AI is not a companion, but a co-creator. From ultra-powerful image models to real-time collaboration and scalable APIs, the platform is evolving with intent.

But here’s the bigger story: Adobe listened.

The features we saw—especially those emphasizing transparency, control, and support for the next generation—weren’t just technical leaps. They felt like a response to long-standing creative concerns: Who owns this work? How do I protect my craft? Will I be replaced?

Let’s unpack what stood out.

At the heart of this year’s conference was Adobe’s unapologetically ambitious push into generative AI. The debut of Firefly Image Model 4 and its Ultra variant showcased impressive advancements in realism and control. Meanwhile, Firefly Boards introduced a new take on collaborative moodboarding—letting teams remix ideas in real time with help from AI.

Photoshop’s new natural language-powered Actions panel promised to simplify complex tasks with just a sentence. Illustrator and Premiere Pro received meaningful performance boosts and AI-driven enhancements to cut down repetitive work.

The tools are undeniably powerful. But the real shift is philosophical: from craftsmanship to direction. AI isn’t just optimizing design workflows—it’s reshaping the role of the designer.