Adobe Photoshop has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, integrating powerful AI tools that dramatically streamline complex editing tasks. However, many users—even experienced ones—struggle to locate and leverage these revolutionary features. This comprehensive guide will walk you through exactly how to find and access every AI tool in Photoshop, ensuring you can harness the full power of Adobe's cutting-edge artificial intelligence capabilities.
Navigating to Photoshop's AI Tools Menu
Adobe has strategically positioned its AI tools throughout the Photoshop interface, with the most powerful features accessible through specific pathways. Let's explore how to find these transformative capabilities.
Accessing Neural Filters: Photoshop's Premier AI Tools Collection
The Neural Filters workspace represents Photoshop's most concentrated collection of AI tools, offering capabilities that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago.
To access these powerful AI tools:
Open Photoshop (version 22.0 or later)
Click on "Filter" in the top menu bar
Select "Neural Filters" from the dropdown menu
The Neural Filters workspace will open in a dedicated panel
The Neural Filters gallery presents both beta and fully released AI tools, organized in an intuitive interface. Available filters appear in full color, while those requiring download appear grayed out with a download icon. This centralized hub contains some of Photoshop's most powerful AI capabilities, including:
Smart Portrait for facial feature manipulation
Style Transfer for artistic transformations
Skin Smoothing for advanced retouching
JPEG Artifact Removal for image restoration
Colorize for intelligent colorization of black and white images
Pro tip: If you don't see Neural Filters in your Filter menu, check that you're running Photoshop version 22.0 or later, as this feature was introduced in the October 2020 update.
Finding Content-Aware AI Tools in Photoshop
Some of Photoshop's most practical AI tools utilize content-aware technology, which intelligently analyzes your images to make contextually appropriate edits.
Locating Content-Aware Fill AI Tools
Content-Aware Fill represents one of Photoshop's most sophisticated AI tools for removing unwanted elements from images.
To access this powerful AI tool:
Select an area using any selection tool (Lasso, Marquee, etc.)
Navigate to "Edit" in the top menu
Choose "Content-Aware Fill..." (not to be confused with the simpler "Fill..." option)
A dedicated workspace will open with advanced AI-powered options
The Content-Aware Fill workspace provides granular control over how the AI tool analyzes and replaces the selected area. The green overlay indicates which portions of your image the AI will sample from, which you can refine using the brush tools on the right panel.
For quicker access to basic content-aware functionality:
Select an area with any selection tool
Press Shift+Backspace (Windows) or Shift+Delete (Mac)
In the Fill dialog box, choose "Content-Aware" from the Contents dropdown
Click OK to apply
Finding Object Selection AI Tools
Photoshop's Object Selection tool represents a breakthrough in selection technology, using AI tools to identify and select complex objects with minimal user input.
To locate this intelligent selection AI tool:
Find the Selection tools group in the left toolbar
Click and hold on the Quick Selection tool
Choose "Object Selection Tool" from the flyout menu (or press W until it cycles to this tool)
Draw a rough rectangle around any object, and the AI will automatically refine the selection to the object's edges
For an even more advanced selection AI tool:
Navigate to "Select" in the top menu
Choose "Subject"
Watch as Photoshop's AI instantly identifies and selects the main subject of your image
These selection tools demonstrate the remarkable capabilities of Adobe's Sensei AI technology, analyzing complex visual information to determine object boundaries with unprecedented accuracy.
Discovering Photoshop's AI Tools for Photo Enhancement
Photoshop contains numerous AI tools specifically designed for photo enhancement, dramatically simplifying what were once tedious manual processes.
Finding Sky Replacement AI Tools
Sky Replacement represents one of Photoshop's most impressive AI tools for landscape photography enhancement.
To access this powerful feature:
Open an image containing sky
Navigate to "Edit" in the top menu
Select "Sky Replacement..."
A dedicated workspace will open with AI-powered sky options and adjustment controls
The Sky Replacement AI tool not only swaps the sky but intelligently adjusts the foreground elements to match the new lighting conditions, creating remarkably realistic results. The panel provides options for adjusting edge refinement, lighting shifts, and color harmonization between the new sky and existing elements.
Locating Super Resolution AI Tools
Super Resolution uses advanced AI tools to intelligently upscale images while preserving detail and reducing artifacts.
To find this powerful enhancement feature:
Open your image in Adobe Camera Raw (either by opening a RAW file or by converting a layer to a Smart Object and choosing "Filter > Camera Raw Filter")
Right-click on the image preview
Select "Enhance..." from the context menu
In the dialog box, check "Super Resolution" to enable AI upscaling
This remarkable AI tool can double the resolution of your image while maintaining sharpness and detail that traditional upscaling methods cannot achieve. The neural network has been trained on millions of image pairs to understand how to intelligently add pixels in a way that preserves the original character of the image.
Finding AI Tools in Photoshop's Neural Filters Gallery
The Neural Filters gallery contains Photoshop's most cutting-edge AI tools, with new options regularly added through updates.
Accessing Portrait-Specific AI Tools
Portrait enhancement represents one of the most powerful applications of AI tools in Photoshop.
To find these specialized portrait features:
Navigate to "Filter > Neural Filters"
In the Neural Filters gallery, look for the "Smart Portrait" filter
If not already downloaded, click the download icon to install this AI tool
Once installed, click on "Smart Portrait" to access a comprehensive set of facial adjustment controls
The Smart Portrait AI tool provides sliders for adjusting age, facial expression, gaze direction, hair thickness, and even lighting direction—all powered by sophisticated neural networks that understand facial structure and characteristics.
Discovering Style Transfer AI Tools
Style Transfer represents one of Photoshop's most creative AI tools, allowing you to apply the artistic style of one image to another.
To locate this artistic AI tool:
Navigate to "Filter > Neural Filters"
In the Neural Filters gallery, find "Style Transfer"
Download the filter if not already installed
Click on "Style Transfer" to access the controls
This powerful AI tool allows you to choose from preset artistic styles or upload your own reference image to extract a style from. The neural network analyzes the color patterns, brush strokes, and compositional elements of the style image and intelligently applies them to your content image while preserving its core structure.
Finding AI Tools in Photoshop's Camera Raw Filter
Many of Photoshop's most practical AI tools for photographers are located within the Camera Raw interface, accessible even when working with non-RAW images.
Accessing Enhance Details AI Tools
Enhance Details uses machine learning to improve the demosaicing process for RAW images, resulting in better detail and fewer artifacts.
To find this specialized AI tool:
Open a RAW image in Camera Raw (or apply Camera Raw as a filter to a Smart Object)
Right-click on the image preview
Select "Enhance Details..." from the context menu
A dialog will appear showing a preview of the enhancement
This computational photography AI tool is particularly effective for images with complex details like foliage, textiles, or fine patterns where traditional demosaicing algorithms struggle to accurately reconstruct detail.
Locating AI-Powered Masking Tools
Camera Raw's masking tools now incorporate powerful AI tools for precise selections with minimal effort.
To access these intelligent masking features:
Open an image in Camera Raw
Click on the "Masking" button in the right panel (or press Shift+W)
In the Masking panel, click "Create New Mask"
Choose from AI-powered options like "Select Subject," "Select Sky," or "Select Background"
These AI tools analyze your image content to create precise masks that would be difficult or time-consuming to create manually. The Select Subject option is particularly impressive, capable of identifying and isolating complex subjects even against challenging backgrounds.
Finding Photoshop's AI Tools for Video Editing
Many users don't realize that Photoshop's AI tools extend to video editing capabilities as well.
Accessing Frame-by-Frame AI Tools
Photoshop provides sophisticated AI tools for consistent editing across video frames.
To locate these video-specific features:
Open a video file in Photoshop (File > Open)
Navigate to the Timeline panel (Window > Timeline)
Select a specific frame to edit
Apply any of Photoshop's AI-powered tools like Neural Filters or Content-Aware Fill
Use the "Match Frame" option to apply consistent edits across multiple frames
This integration of AI tools with video workflows allows for sophisticated effects that would typically require dedicated video editing software, such as removing objects from footage or applying consistent style transfers across an entire clip.
Troubleshooting Missing AI Tools in Photoshop
If you're having trouble finding specific AI tools in your version of Photoshop, there are several potential solutions.
Updating Photoshop to Access Latest AI Tools
Photoshop's AI tools are continuously evolving, with new features regularly added through updates.
If you can't find a specific AI tool:
Click "Help" in the top menu
Select "Updates..."
Allow the Creative Cloud app to check for and install available updates
Restart Photoshop after updating
Adobe typically releases major updates to Photoshop's AI tools several times per year, with the most significant enhancements announced at their annual Adobe MAX conference. Ensuring you're running the latest version is essential for accessing the full range of AI capabilities.
Resolving GPU Compatibility for AI Tools
Many of Photoshop's advanced AI tools require GPU acceleration to function properly.
If certain AI tools appear grayed out or unavailable:
Navigate to "Edit > Preferences > Performance" (Windows) or "Photoshop > Preferences > Performance" (Mac)
Check that "Use Graphics Processor" is enabled
Click "Advanced Settings" to ensure your GPU is properly recognized
If problems persist, update your graphics drivers to the latest version
Photoshop's neural network-based AI tools perform complex calculations that benefit significantly from GPU acceleration. Without a compatible graphics card, some features may be unavailable or perform too slowly for practical use.
Customizing Your Workspace for Easy Access to AI Tools
Once you've located Photoshop's powerful AI tools, you can customize your workspace for more efficient access.
Creating an AI Tools-Focused Workspace
To create a custom workspace optimized for AI tools:
Arrange your panels and tools to prioritize AI features
Navigate to "Window > Workspace > New Workspace..."
Name your workspace (e.g., "AI Editing")
Check both "Panel Locations" and "Keyboard Shortcuts"
Click "Save"
This custom workspace will remember your preferred arrangement of panels, including Neural Filters, Properties panels for AI-enhanced adjustments, and any other tools you frequently use for AI-powered editing.
Setting Up Keyboard Shortcuts for AI Tools
For even faster access to Photoshop's AI tools:
Navigate to "Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts..." (Windows) or "Photoshop > Keyboard Shortcuts..." (Mac)
In the dialog box, locate commands related to AI features like "Neural Filters" or "Select Subject"
Click in the shortcut column next to each command and press your desired key combination
Click "Accept" and then "OK" to save your custom shortcuts
Creating dedicated keyboard shortcuts for your most-used AI tools can dramatically speed up your workflow, eliminating the need to navigate through menus for common tasks.
Conclusion: Mastering Photoshop's AI Ecosystem
Adobe Photoshop has evolved from a pixel-editing program to a sophisticated AI-powered creative platform. By understanding how to find and access the various AI tools distributed throughout the application, you can dramatically enhance your productivity and achieve results that would have been impossible or extremely time-consuming with traditional techniques.
As Adobe continues to develop its Sensei AI technology, we can expect even more powerful AI tools to appear in future Photoshop updates. Staying familiar with where to find these features—and regularly checking for new additions in the Neural Filters gallery and other locations—will ensure you're always leveraging the full power of what Photoshop has to offer.
Whether you're a photographer looking to enhance images, a designer creating composite artwork, or a video editor needing sophisticated frame-by-frame adjustments, Photoshop's AI tools offer unprecedented capabilities that continue to redefine what's possible in digital image editing.