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Report an incident on the road

(Image credit: Future)Out of all the Google Maps features I use, reporting incidents on the road has become one thing I constantly do while I’m driving. It’s a relatively new feature that lets you report incidents on your route, like accidents, inclement weather conditions, lane closures, and much more. And yes, there’s also the option to report police or speed traps — so you know exactly where they’re at.While this might be intended to give speeders the upper hand in avoiding potential moving violations, it’s actually more helpful in giving other drivers the heads up on why there’s a slow down caused by some other activity.In order to report an incident while you’re using driving directions with Google Maps, tap on the triangular shaped icon in the app, then select what report you’d like to make.Find your next turn without adjusting the map view(Image credit: Tom’s Guide / John Velasco)Whenever I start driving directions with Google Maps, I like to know what I should anticipate with upcoming turns. In the past, I would reorient the map to see what’s coming ahead, or tap the route preview icon in the app to see the entire route’s view in the app — but doing either of these is annoying and a big distraction. That’s why I’ve come to use this hidden Google Maps feature that makes it simpler and more intuitive.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.At the top of the interface you’ll find the set of directions you’re supposed to follow, but if you perform a swipe gesture on it, you’ll see the next set of driving instructions. Check out the animation above to see this feature in action.When you do this, it’ll also jump to the section of the map that corresponds to those directions. This makes it way more convenient for me to see what I need to do with upcoming turns, so that way, I can know whether to turn left or right.Planning a route by setting an arrival or destination time

(Image credit: Future)This one has saved me so much time because traffic conditions constantly change. One mistake many people make whenever they use Google Maps is that they don’t plan ahead and simply punch in their destination the moment they leave. As a result, they might find themselves having to drive for much longer due to traffic and other factors.

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That’s why I suggest planning ahead by setting a departure or arrival time in Google Maps. For example, if I need to be at work for a meeting by 10:00 a.m., I like setting up an arrival time for Google Maps to tell me when’s the best time for me to leave. I frequently do this because Google Maps does an excellent job of taking into consideration common traffic conditions during the specified time, so I’m not wasting more time than needed.You can set an arrival or departure time by tapping the pull down menu under the driving directions tab of the app. Afterwards, you can get a sense of what actions you need to take to get there.Enable show traffic on Map

(Image credit: Future)One of the best Google Maps features to ever come out is being able to see traffic conditions on your route, with green showing free-flowing roads and red indicating congested conditions. While these color-coded traffic conditions show up on your route, there’s actually another setting that makes it better.When you’re actively using Google Maps with driving directions, you can perform a scroll up gesture from the bottom to expand additional settings with the map. There’s one in particular for “show traffic in map” that actually displays the conditions of nearby roads, not just the one you’re on.I find this setting useful because it can help me determine if I should stay clear from some roads, or take a gamble on taking a turn in the hopes of shaving off more time from my trip.Manually save your parking spot

(Image credit: Future)The last tip I want to share is manually saving your parking spot. Google Maps can actually do this automatically on its own, but it’s not perfect. Usually Google Maps will do this if you give the app access to your location all the time. But if you’re like me, and only give it permission while using the app, then you’ll want to manually save your parking spot.When you’ve reached your destination, just tap the blue dot that indicates your location, perform a swipe-up gesture to show more details about your location, and then scroll over through the tabs until you see the one for “save parking.” For any new place I visit, I always use this feature so that I don’t waste time later on having to remember where I parked.Follow Tom’s Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!More from Tom’s GuideToday’s best Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, Google Pixel 10, Google Pixel 10 Pro and Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold deals

In just under two years, Adobe Firefly has revolutionized the creative industry and generated more than 22 billion assets worldwide. Today at Adobe MAX London, we’re unveiling the latest release of Firefly, which unifies AI-powered tools for image, video, audio, and vector generation into a single, cohesive platform and introduces many new capabilities.
The new Firefly features enhanced models, improved ideation capabilities, expanded creative options, and unprecedented control. This update builds on earlier momentum when we introduced the Firefly web app and expanded into video and audio with Generate Video, Translate Video, and Translate Audio features.
Originally launched as an image generation tool, Firefly has evolved into the ultimate creative AI solution, designed to be commercially safe from the ground up. Leading brands, including Deloitte, Tapestry, Paramount+, and Pepsi, have harnessed Firefly to streamline workflows and scale content production, resulting in faster time-to-market, better performing campaigns, and innovative, personalized experiences. Integration with professional tools like Photoshop web and Premiere Pro, along with persistent access to your history of generated content, allows you to efficiently transform concepts into finished assets across your favorite Creative Cloud applications.
With the debut of the new Firefly mobile app, coming soon to both iOS and Android, you can now transform ideas into stunning visuals with just a few taps, anywhere you go.

Coming soon, the new Adobe Firefly mobile app

Never let inspiration wait. With the Adobe Firefly mobile app, you will be able to generate amazing images and videos on the go, right from your iOS or Android device.
Whether you’re sketching out your next big idea or refining a design on the fly, the mobile app offers professional-grade, commercially safe content creation wherever you are. With advanced creative controls and seamless integration with Creative Cloud, you can start a project on your mobile device and pick up right where you left off on your desktop.
The Adobe Firefly mobile app is designed to keep up with your creative rhythm, ensuring that whenever inspiration strikes, you’re ready to generate eye-catching content anywhere, anytime.
The all-new Firefly mobile app will be available soon for both iOS and Android devices.
Push creative boundaries with the latest Firefly models
The latest Firefly release sets a new standard for visual content generation, with Firefly Image Model 4 delivering unmatched definition and realism for high-resolution images, while the Firefly Video Model enables dynamic, commercially safe video creation.
Introducing Image Model 4

Designed specifically for creative professionals who want the highest level of control with creative AI, Adobe Firefly’s Image Model 4 and Image Model 4 Ultra, generate stunning images with unprecedented accuracy. The latest models deliver significant improvements over Image Model 3, with enhanced prompt fidelity. Firefly now renders people, animals, and architectural elements with exceptional precision, clarity, and realism.
Image Model 4 — Ideal for rapid ideation and everyday creative needs, Image Model 4 excels at generating high-quality images quickly and efficiently. It’s perfect for creating simple illustrations, icons, and basic photo objects, covering 90 percent of typical creative requirements quickly and inexpensively.
Image Model 4 Ultra — When your projects demand more detail and realism, Image Model 4 Ultra is your go-to. This model shines in rendering photorealistic scenes, human portraits, and small groups, ensuring they look natural and lifelike. It’s designed for highly complex needs, when precision and clarity are paramount.
With the addition of Image Model 4 Ultra, the complete Image Model 4 collection gives creative professionals the flexibility to choose the perfect model for their distinct needs: rapid ideation or complexly rendered final assets. With the advanced Text to Image controls, you can apply aesthetic filters, select specific styles, and match compositions precisely — giving you complete creative customization power. This ensures that whether you’re exploring ideas or polishing a project, your workflow is always optimized based on your immediate goals.
This release of Firefly includes exciting new image generation features and enhancements that make the power of Image Model 4 accessible to creators of all levels.
Portraits:

Left: Prompt: Hyper-realistic, an Asian woman in her mid 40s with a couple age lines, hand to her face, in front of an oval framed mirror on the wall. She is looking at a reflection of herself the reflection is her with smoother skin and she looks happy. Right: Prompt: An award-winning photo of a stylishly dressed elderly woman wearing very large glasses, highly detailed features.

Left: Prompt: Portrait of older man with hope in his eyes. Right: Prompt: An African American man wearing a magenta beanie, standing at a crosswalk wearing a bright jacket, city in background.

Left: Prompt: A group of elderly friends enjoying nature, hiking and sharing laughter over a comic joke while trekking through the forest. Right: Prompt: A portrait of children enjoying their summer holiday while playing games outside with big smiles on their faces, surrounded by nature.

Animals:

Left: Prompt: A polar bear on ice in the early morning light with warm sunlight from the side. Right: Prompt: A herd of elephants gathered at a watering hole in a dense African forest. Soft, diffused light filters through the canopy, casting gentle shadows. Wide shot from a slightly elevated angle, capturing the elephants interacting and the lush surroundings. The mood is peaceful and familial, emphasizing the bond and social nature of elephants.

Architecture:

Left: Prompt: Architectural magazine image of a very modern building beside a pond. Right: Prompt: A luxury, modern two-story cabin deep in a secluded forest, glowing warmly against a dark sky.

Text for Commercial Imagery:

Prompt: A striking, high-contrast cinematic photo-style vertical collage that captures the essence of New York City. Each letter of ‘NEW YORK CITY’ is represented by a dynamic and vibrant scene, with different iconic landmarks and moments in time. The Empire State Building and Times Square dominate the background, while smaller scenes like bustling street life, yellow cabs, and people in various activities fill the foreground. The overall mood is energetic and lively, with an emphasis on the city’s vibrant spirit. The typography is bold and eye-catching, making the collage a stunning visual representation of New York City.

2D & 3D Illustrations:

Left: Prompt: Vector flat seamless border art background with mountains and lake in winter. Landscape banner in blue tones for art decorations, print for décor. Right: Prompt: Hot air balloon.

Left: Prompt: Cute glossy red bird, made with Image Model 4. Right: Prompt: 3d vector illustration of garden with a chibi cat lounging in sun.

Create clips in a click with Firefly Video Model
Creativity in motion takes on a whole new meaning with our commercially safe Firefly Video Model. Now officially out of beta, this commercially safe model powers Generate Video and enables you to create entirely new video clips to quickly and effortlessly communicate your creative intent. The Firefly Video Model delivers significant improvements over the beta version in photorealism, producing highly detailed and realistic videos. It also enhances text rendering, landscapes, visual and transition effects.
Aerial Footage:

Prompt: Slow tracking aerial wide shot of a river gorge surrounded by rocks on either side.

Prompt: Aerial slow tracking shot of the pyramids of Egypt, cinematic.

Humans:

Prompt: Cinematic closeup shot of an adorable toddler looking out of a window, her face full of childlike wonder. The lighting is gorgeous and sun-kissed, with dappled lighting on her face and a strong sunny backlight. Diffusion and light blooming, subtly blurring the edges of the scene. The color grade dreamy, sunny, warm. dreamy bokeh. Movement is subtle and soft and slow-motion. shot on film. Rainbow chromatic lens flare. Sunlight filters gently through the window, creating a delicate and ethereal atmosphere.

Prompt: The man looks out into the distance pensively.

Visual Effects:

Prompt: Slow explosion of fire against a plain black screen.

Text Rendering:

Prompt: The word -F I R E F L Y- in solid gold letters against a solid black backdrop grows green.

Claymation & Animation:

Prompt: 2.5D claymation old couple looks lovingly at each other on a couch while more hearts appear.

Prompt: Warrior princess looks at the camera once more before she turns away, hair flowing in the wind.

With the Firefly Video Model, you can generate stunning new video content up to 5 seconds long with simple text or image prompts, easily transition from text to image to video, or upload start and end frames to guide your video generation. Whether you need dynamic b-roll to fill gaps, engaging new elements for an existing shot, or entirely fresh video content, our advanced video capabilities are designed to integrate seamlessly into your workflow. With support for multiple resolutions up to 1080p, aspect ratios including 16:9, 9:16, and the brand-new 1:1, along with industry-leading camera controls, the Firefly Video Model ensures your story is told with perfect precision.
Image to Video generations now retain more detail from the original image. Users can preserve intricate textures, subtle color gradients and fine design elements throughout the generation process, creating a seamless transition from static image to dynamic video.
Transition Effects: Using simple black images for starting and ending keyframes, you can generate transition effects with Firefly Video Model. Take a look at the examples below.

For our Firefly Premium plan members, we are now offering unlimited access to our Firefly Video Model across Firefly applications. Experience the power to transform your creative vision into stunning videos without limitations, empowering you to bring your most ambitious projects to life with professional-quality results at your fingertips.

This release also introduces a suite of innovative new modules, designed to enhance your creative workflow:
Text to Vector

Quickly and easily generate a wide array of fully editable vector graphics — from icons to intricate patterns — using simple text prompts. This module accelerates your design workflow; use it to jump-start your next project or generate new graphics based on your style.
Iterate quickly on logo designs, create unique illustrations for social media campaigns, or develop custom patterns that align perfectly with your brand’s aesthetic. With Text to Vector, you can effortlessly experiment with different styles and variations, streamlining the process of generating high-quality graphics that reflect your unique creative vision.
Firefly in all your favorite Creative Cloud Apps
No matter where you start a project, Firefly is connected and accessible anywhere you are so you can move from ideation to production faster. Easily access your generation history for images and video in Firefly to pick up where you left off or export directly into Photoshop Web and Express — perfect for enhancing presentations with dynamic elements, creating engaging social media content, and streamlining your creative workflow across multiple platforms.
Jump-start your creative ideas with Firefly Boards

We all know that creative work today comes with tighter deadlines and a faster pace. Getting everyone on the same page before jumping into production can be tough. That’s why we’re excited to introduce Firefly Boards, formerly known as Project Concept. Now a part of the Firefly web application, Boards is a multi-player canvas with a generative-first approach to concept development and exploration.
With Boards (beta), you can quickly bring your ideas to life, confidently shape your creative vision, and refine everything in one place before seamlessly moving to production.
Here are three great ways you can use Boards:

Mood Boarding: Create mood boards and concept presentations in the same space, exploring different creative directions with ease.
Storyboarding: The infinite canvas gives you as much or as little structure as you need, making it perfect for all kinds of visual storytelling.
Creative Brainstorming: Arrange your content on artboards for easy sharing and collaboration with your team, clients, and stakeholders. Visually explore a variety of ideas and refine them together.

This dynamic, multi-player environment is designed to keep the collaboration flowing and ensure that inspiration never stops.
Diversify your creative options with non-Adobe AI Models
In response to community feedback, we’re excited to integrate non-Adobe AI models directly into our Creative Cloud ecosystem.
Now, alongside our own Firefly models, which are commercially safe and IP-friendly for production use, you can choose from a diverse range of specialized, non-Adobe models — starting with Google Imagen3 and Veo2, OpenAI GPT image generation, and Black Forest Labs Flux 1.1 Pro. We are also working with a number of other models that you will see in products in the coming months like fal.ai, Runway, Pika, Luma, and Ideogram.
Every generative AI model has a distinct aesthetic and we want to give users more choice and flexibility, especially during the concept phase, to use the right model for their project needs. Whether you need the impeccable quality and commercial safety of Adobe’s models or the unique capabilities and aesthetic styles of the non-Adobe models, you can effortlessly compare outputs to find the ideal style for your creative needs.
We’re making these models directly available in our creative apps, starting with Firefly. If you decide to use a non-Adobe model, switching will be seamless and we’ll always be transparent about which model you’re using. Content Credentials will be attached to all AI-generated content, ensuring transparency and trust. No matter which model you choose, you can always see whether it was created with Firefly or a non-Adobe model with Content Credentials.
Our commitment to responsible AI innovation
Adobe’s view is that AI is a tool for, not a replacement of, human creativity. We believe that generative AI can be developed responsibly, starting with respect for creators’ rights. Our approach to our commercially safe family of Adobe Firefly generative AI models is driven by our roots in the creative community and our respect for creators.
Ready, set, create
Whether you’re creating high-resolution images, dynamic videos, or interactive vector art, the latest Firefly release gives you unprecedented creative control and flexibility. Our innovative enhancements and new features empower everyone, regardless of skill level, to produce breathtaking visuals — anytime, anywhere.
Dive into Firefly today with our Firefly user guide that takes you from zero to creating in minutes! Master the art of perfect prompts for video generation with our field-tested best practices that will dramatically improve your results. Want to see it all in action? Our step-by-step tutorials show you exactly how to bring your creative visions to life.
And there’s even more to look forward to. We’re constantly improving our models and rolling out new innovations. We’d love to hear how you’re using Firefly and the impact it’s having on your creative workflows. Join us on Discord to help shape the future of creative AI.

At its Adobe Max 2025 conference, the company launched two new text-to-image models, Image Model 4 and Image Model 4 Ultra, promising sharper visuals, better prompt accuracy, and increased realism. While Image Model 4 focuses on faster generation for basic illustrations and objects, Image Model 4 Ultra is designed for producing photorealistic portraits and complex scenes.

“These models bring higher fidelity and creative flexibility to our Firefly users,” Adobe said in a blog post.

The new models are now live for subscribers through the Firefly app, alongside powerful filters, style matching, and composition tools.

Firefly Goes Mobile and Welcomes Third-Party AI

The launch also included the first-ever Firefly mobile app, giving users on-the-go access to Adobe’s creative AI suite. Adobe is further opening Firefly to third-party models, with integrations for OpenAI, Google’s Veo 2, and Flux 1.1 Pro now live, and future partnerships in the works with fal.ai, Ideogram, Luma, Pika, and Runway.

A new Vector Model was also unveiled, allowing designers to generate editable vector artwork, such as logos, packaging, and scenes, using natural language prompts.

Another notable debut is Firefly Boards—a public beta tool for storyboard and concept creation. Previously codenamed Project Concept, it enables users to explore visual ideas with text-to-image generation, AI-powered refinements, and mood board editing, all within one interface.

Firefly Video Model Goes Public

After being previewed last year, the Firefly Video model is now generally available. It supports text and image-based video generation, useful for creating custom b-roll, background visuals, and stylised edits—all driven by AI.

Adobe Express is also seeing a wave of AI-powered upgrades for video editors. A new Clip Maker tool transforms long videos into shareable clips, using AI to detect key moments and add captions or reframing.

Other additions include:

    •    Enhance Speech: Removes background noise for better audio clarity    •    Video Self-Record: Enables self-filming inside Adobe Express    •    Drop Zone and Scene View: For batch clip editing and timeline rearrangement    •    Dynamic Animation: Turns still images into motion-rich content

Users can now export directly to Vimeo, and enterprise customers benefit from a Generate Similar feature that builds on-brand variations from a reference image. Over 30 new visual filters are also rolling out across the platform.

Firefly’s entry-level subscription starts at $9.99/month (approx. ₹852), with plans tailored for individuals, teams, and students.

As Adobe steps deeper into the AI-driven creative ecosystem, the suite of updates across Firefly and Express marks a significant push to make generative tools more accessible, intuitive, and professional-grade, whether on desktop or mobile.

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What’s new in Adobe Express?On the new tools, Govind Balakrishnan, SVP and General Manager, Adobe Express, said: “We’re excited to introduce new AI-powered video and animation capabilities to make it even easier for people to stand out and break through with their brands.”Here are the stand-out additions coming to Express.1. Turn long-form videos into short-form contentThis is my favorite new addition in Express. You can now cut down long videos at pretty much the click of a button with Clip Maker. This update is going to be a serious time-saver if you create long-form content for platforms like YouTube or you’re running webinars and presentations, and want to splice it up for the likes of Reels, TikTok, or Shorts. During my demo, I sawn an hour-long video cut into approximately ten-minute chunks that can be further edited.2. Create new AI images based on existing onesGenerate Similar lets you select existing images and, with a little prompting, create new images that maintain the same look and feel. It worked very well during my demo, where a heavily stylised image of a rose was used as a starting point, and using Firefly, a similar image of a tulip was generated. Color, style, and framing carried through, as if the work was by a single ‘artist’. Not a game-changer by any means, but it’ll help users stay on-brand and quickly create a library of images that sit well together.Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!3. Turn still images into eye-catching animationsAdobe Express’s bread and butter is simple graphic design, but this is a really nice addition. You can now animate sections of a static image – for example, adding glittering stars, having your text pop in, or letting objects jiggle on-screen. I didn’t find it as high-powered as you’ll see in more advanced Adobe apps, but if you’re looking for more engaging content for your social platforms, this is a nice touch. For more image tools – although I didn’t get a chance to see them in action – you now have access to more than 30 new filters powered by Photoshop right inside Express.4. More AI video generationYou can’t go ten seconds without AI inserting itself into the workflow, but I think these are going to be welcomed by most users. You can now generate commercially safe videos in Express. I was told all the backgrounds and b-roll seen in the demo were created this way – and they looked pretty good to me.5. Improve audio with Enhance SpeechIf you use other Creative Cloud apps, you may be familiar with Enhance Speech – it’s already a part of Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Podcast. Effectively, this tool uses AI (of course) to clean-up sounds. So, if you record in an echo-y room or there’s a little too much background chatter in the office, this tool will strip out unwanted audio and standardize noise levels.6. Better, faster captioningAnother new tool is automatic captioning. Now, there’s nothing especially new about this tool – but it’s new to Express, and I found this one was pretty quick. On top of this, users now have more control over how those captions appear. Useful if you have brand colors and styles you want to apply.7. Record yourself and add it to the canvasI wasn’t expecting this, but you can now self-record videos and add them into Express. According to Adobe, this is built for “tutorials, video podcasts, reels and more.” In the demo, I liked how you can position the video anywhere on the canvas and resize it to suit your needs. You’ll find these types of webcam capture tools in the best screen recording software, but this seems like a seamless way to blend self-recorded videos to existing designs.You might also like

Summary

At Adobe Max London 2025, Adobe announced that its adding a bunch of new AI-powered features to its content-creation app, Adobe Express.

Adobe Express now includes powerful AI-driven tools like Generate Video, Clip Maker, Dynamic Animation, and Generate Similar.

You can start projects in Express and seamlessly continue editing in other Adobe apps like Photoshop, Illustrator, or Lightroom.

The biggest issue with most Adobe tools isn’t the price. Instead, it’s the steep learning curve you need to overcome before you can actually use the tools without getting lost in menus. For instance, Adobe Photoshop is undoubtedly one of the best image-editing applications out there, but it’s primarily aimed at professional photographers and editors rather than novice users.
Adobe solved this in 2021 by launching Adobe Express, an all-in-one cloud-based content creation tool. From creators pumping out Instagram Reels and TikToks to students building yet another presentation for their economics class, Express caters to anyone who needs powerful creative tools without wanting to spend hours learning their way around an app’s complicated interface.

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6 ways Adobe Express transforms your creativity on your smartphone

Adobe Express makes creating content easy from your phone

Since its debut, Adobe has constantly added new features to Express to make content creation even faster for the average user, unsurprisingly, including a slew of AI-powered tools. Today, at its annual creativity conference, Adobe Max London 2025, the company announced a host of new AI-driven image and video editing features for Express. While there are plenty of exciting additions, the Generate Video feature is the one we’re most looking forward to.

Source: Adobe

Editing just got a whole lot easier with Adobe Express’s latest features

Adobe isn’t new to the AI video generation world. The company first showcased its AI Video Generator, powered by the Firefly Video model, at Adobe Max 2025, and released it to the public in February 2025. Similar to OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Veo 2 in Gemini Advanced, the Generate Video feature lets users create unique and commercially safe video content using descriptive text prompts.
While you could previously access the Generate Video tool through the Firefly web app or Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe is now adding it to Express as well. So, if you’re ever running low on inspiration or simply blanking on where to start, the Video Generator tool is a great way to hit the ground running.

AI video generation isn’t the only feature coming to Express, though. If you frequently post videos on social media apps, one of the best ways to increase engagement and build anticipation before uploading a full video is to post short snippets in the days leading up to your final post.
Traditionally, you’ve always needed to go through the hassle of manually splitting longer videos into shorter, snappier clips that build curiosity and hype. Adobe Express’s Clip Maker can help save you all this manual work and automate the entire process. The feature uses AI to turn long-form video footage, like podcasts, interviews, and demos, into social-length, shareable clips optimized for different platforms. If you’d like to breathe some life into a static image, Adobe Express’s new Dynamic Animation feature lets you add “playful, natural motion” to it with just a single click.
I’ve always been a huge fan of following a consistent theme for my Instagram feed. If you’re anything like me, you probably know how much of a struggle it can be to maintain a cohesive aesthetic and actually come up with images that’ll match it. Express’s Generate Similar feature aims to solve that, giving you the ability to create an entire cohesive collection based on a single image that follows your chosen theme, all within seconds.

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How to use Adobe Firefly AI tools on your Android phone

Access Adobe AI tools for free from your Android phone

All of these AI-powered features use Adobe Firefly, which is commercially safe and trained exclusively on Adobe Stock, licensed, and public domain content. This ensures you can use any content generated with it without worrying about receiving a terrifying legal notice!
Since Adobe Express is a companion app to Creative Cloud, it integrates seamlessly with other Adobe apps like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Lightroom. This means you can start editing in Express and easily continue your work in another Adobe app. All of these features are available starting today in Adobe Express.