{"id":10360,"date":"2026-11-11T14:19:29","date_gmt":"2026-11-11T14:19:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=10360"},"modified":"2026-11-11T14:19:29","modified_gmt":"2026-11-11T14:19:29","slug":"adobe-max-2026-sneaks-experiments-ai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=10360","title":{"rendered":"Adobe\u2019s AI experiments let you explore photos and interview characters"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Some of the most impressive tech that Adobe showcases at its annual Max conference each year is the experimental features it\u2019s developing, and the latest of those tools are being announced today: they can transform images into explorable 3D scenes, design AI characters by talking to them, and turn photo editing into a copy\/paste process.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The first (and weirdest, in my opinion) is Project Screen Test, which is designed to make AI-generated characters easier to develop and use for video content. Instead of just describing how the character should sound and behave in text prompts, the tool lets you talk to the character and direct them in an audition-like environment. You start by describing some base personality traits, such as \u201canxious, shy, awkward,\u201d and giving the character a voice, either by selecting a preset, describing how it sounds in a prompt, or uploading sample audio for it to reference.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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You can then expand its persona in further detail by conversing with the character as if you\u2019re talking on FaceTime, outlining its backstory, temperament, goals, flaws, fears, movement quirks and more. Once you\u2019re happy, the tool lets you generate animated screen tests with the character by describing an environment or scenario you want to put them in.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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This Personality tab lets you manually adjust any of the traits that were generated for the character by talking to it. <\/em><\/figcaption>Image: Adobe<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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This is currently a standalone creative exercise, and it\u2019s not clear how (or if) it could feature in any of Adobe\u2019s existing AI video tools. The results provided a more identifiable and consistent personality compared to many soulless animated AI characters I\u2019ve seen, but that\u2019s the entire reason this exists \u2014 AI video generation provides far<\/em> less creative control compared to traditional animation, where every aspect of a character is included with absolute intention.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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There\u2019s also Project Sight Span, which reframes photographs and images by turning them into a 3D environment that you can navigate through and reposition. The 3D space generates objects and backgrounds that are outside of the original frame, but feel like a natural part of the image, even if you\u2019re turning to see what\u2019s behind you. While the visuals in the 3D environment are pixelated and ill\u2013defined, the resolution quality is restored when you select your chosen angle.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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This still doesn\u2019t really do Project Sight Span justice, but a video demonstration should take place at the Adobe Max sneaks keynote.<\/em><\/figcaption>Image: Adobe<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Sight Span works with any flat image, including photos, paintings, and illustrations, and can preserve and replicate artistic styles. Even repositioned tattoos and facial features in photographs remain surprisingly recognizable and true to the original reference. It\u2019s a bit like a version of Apple\u2019s Spatial Reframing feature<\/a> on steroids: you can reposition more aggressively and change the shooting point entirely if you want, but it also feels far less deserving of being called a photo afterward.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Project Sound Bender is an AI audio mixing feature that lets you customize sound effects as if you\u2019re clicking your cursor around a color wheel. It works by uploading a video clip and then describing your desired audio in a text prompt, such as \u201cbubbling sci-fi cauldron noises.\u201d Sound Bender then generates sound effects and automatically syncs it to the video, and provides a square sound canvas that lets you adjust the noises in real time. Each corner of the canvas will automatically assign a relevant AI-generated sound, such as dense gurgling with popping bubbles, rumbling boiling rocks, pitched bloops, and crackling electric fire. You can drag your cursor around the canvas to select which noises stand out the most, or customize each corner with different sound effects.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Dragging your cursor around that square on the left changes the AI-generated audio as you\u2019re listening to it.<\/em><\/figcaption>Image:<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Adobe also showcased Project Rinse Repeat, which lets you copy edits and then automatically apply them to other objects or people in the same photo. For example, if you painstakingly airbrush out acne or blemishes on one person, Rinse Repeat will adapt your specific changes to anyone else in a group of people who need similar touchups. It can also be used to add shadows to products in marketing graphics, even if the objects are different shapes and sizes. Rinse Repeat is built around Photoshop, and the edits you apply to other subjects remain fully editable because the tool recreates them with native Photoshop tools.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Only one shadow was manually added in this example\u2026<\/em><\/figcaption>Image: Adobe<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u2026with shadows then added to the remaining products by copy\/pasting the process.<\/em><\/figcaption>Image: Adobe<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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These \u201csneaks\u201d are tech previews of capabilities that might<\/em> eventually be developed into tools for Adobe\u2019s Creative Cloud apps or Firefly platform, so there\u2019s no guarantee that they\u2019ll graduate into being available features. Almost all of these projects are built around Adobe\u2019s generative AI developments, however, and given AI tools now play a central role in the company\u2019s growth strategy, it\u2019s likely that at least some of the experiments will see an official launch. As wacky or fun as these AI experiments are, they\u2019re also an omen. If they\u2019re useful enough, that means AI may eventually replace the tools and stock libraries that creative professionals currently use, regardless of how complex their feelings are about the technology.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A notable theme across these sneaks is making complicated photo editing, filmmaking, and audio mixing workflows feel more accessible and intuitive, adapting them into something that\u2019s more interactive and easy to use. In some cases the features almost seem like toys, but with the benefit of allowing you to make practical changes to creative projects.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cMaking these interactions more intuitive is also about giving experienced creatives more precise control,\u201d senior principle Adobe research scientist Gautham Mysore, told The Verge<\/em>. \u201cSound Bender\u2019s sonic exploration capability and Sight Span\u2019s camera positioning are examples of how professionals could apply their judgment and refine a result more directly. That connection between creative intent and control is a big part of what we\u2019re exploring.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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