Adobe has updated its Project Indigo camera app, which was originally designed to give iPhone photos a "natural, SLR-like" look, with a new suite of generative AI editing tools called "AI Playground." The move is notable because it marks a shift for an app that had built its reputation on authentic, computational photography for "camera nerds," now embracing AI-generated manipulation rather than sticking purely to naturalistic capture. Adobe frames it as an experiment to gauge user interest, with an opt-out available for those who prefer the app's original functionality.

The AI Playground, part of the version 1.1 update, adds four features: Styles, which applies AI-generated filter effects such as illustration looks; Object Editing, which removes people or objects from backgrounds and fills gaps using generative AI, similar to Google's Magic Eraser; Photo Guidance, which offers AI feedback and reshoot suggestions; and Custom Edit, a prompt-based tool for more detailed image changes. Notably, Adobe is using Google's Nano Banana AI model rather than its own Firefly system, though it says this may change over time. The free, sign-on-free trial is being rolled out to a small percentage of users over the coming weeks, with Adobe suggesting a paid version could follow if the feature proves popular.