Extended AI features

[debraspicher]

On 1/13/2022 at 6:55 AM, LCamachoDesign said:

I have this exact suggestion, and was searching to see if someone already had posted a request. So... +1 from me.

I'm wrapping up a project that wouldn't be possible without Photoshop's Neural Filters, or something similar. It's a packaging project where the client has good product photos, but they're low resolution for the huge packaging size needed. They're also saved as JPEG, with the usual artefacts the format includes. Using the Super Zoom filter I've been able to bump them image resolution by 2x to 4x depending on the photo, and clean up the artefacts too, resulting on a photo that's usable.

Sure, there are 3rd party websites that do this for you. Buy you have to buy "credits" to process the images, raising the project cost for the client, and for no good reason. I have a perfectly fine GPU that's able to do it locally in a very acceptable time frame. Why spend more? There's also Topaz Labs offerings, but they are rather limited in scope when compared to Photoshop, especially if you take in account the price asked...

I think a good start for Affinity Photo would be an upscale, a denoise, and a JPEG artefact AI filters. These 3 would cover most cases.

I agree with this if Affinity were to include "AI" features, this would be the thing to do, just add it in as part of the overall toolset.

The main issue I have with expanding towards "auto" features that are used for manipulation is that—ironically—it makes the user feel like they are less in control of the output. Everyone knows what a "distort" filter does, etc... hard to know what the "AI" is doing since it's "under the hood" so to speak as it's an unspoken algorithm making the decisions. Some creators prefer randomized results that produce a certain motif... but many don't.

Alternative to adding "AI": I think more broadly, it might be useful to add in an "engine" of sorts on top of what is "built-in" within the filters menu where we could "copy and paste" or something like it, plugin our own filter algorithms somehow into the editor. I'm not sure how complex this would need to be, but a way to fashion our own filters would be sublime. Basically, something similar to the procedural texture plugin. That would be a better compromise and users could provide their own solutions which clearly creatives are apt to do. I've always found the filters menu restrictive in most programs I've used.

[walt.farrell]

25 minutes ago, debraspicher said:

Alternative to adding "AI": I think more broadly, it might be useful to add in an "engine" of sorts on top of what is "built-in" within the filters menu where we could "copy and paste" or something like it, plugin our own filter algorithms somehow into the editor. I'm not sure how complex this would need to be, but a way to fashion our own filters would be sublime. Basically, something similar to the procedural texture plugin. That would be a better compromise and users could provide their own solutions which clearly creatives are apt to do. I've always found the filters menu restrictive in most programs I've used.

I think you can kind of do that already by designing your custom filter to work with G'MIC, and installing the G'MIC plugin.

[debraspicher]

13 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

I think you can kind of do that already by designing your custom filter to work with G'MIC, and installing the G'MIC plugin.

Thanks ❤️ I'll look into it. I was trying to imitate a PS tutorial method and I couldn't find a filter to do what it needed me to do (sigh)...

[Archangel]

On 6/27/2022 at 10:36 AM, PaulEC said:

I don't doubt that one day photo apps will have just one big button. You load any old  image and the app will do everything for you to produce a masterpiece: one that looks just like thousands of others, because you have had no input yourself in processing or editing it.

I'm sure this would be a dream come true for many people; no need to learn any skills or for any artistic input, just press a button and let the AI do it for you! – For me, it would be a nightmare! 

There are certainly advantages to having some automation and computer-aided effects/functions etc. Yes, it's great to be able to do things in seconds with a digital image, that would have taken hours (if they were possible at all!) in a traditional darkroom. The problem is getting the balance right! I think Affinity has it about right now, without dumbing it down to suit people who don't want to have to learn anything or do anything for themselves. There are apps out there, where you have little or no control and everything is decided for you, with no adjustments or fine-tuning possible; the software decides for you what your picture should look like! If that's what you want, by all means use those apps. I really don't want APhoto to become one of them!

 

AI is cool. It can be a great tool for many new features. It gives the power to make and manipulate imagery to both the novice and professional alike. However, it should be a tool which enhances workflow and provides extra abilities to all users. It should not replace standard, tried and trusted work methods, but simply provide enhancements which may be utilized or not.

It should not curtail human creativity but complement it. Symbiotically allowing new ways of working, speeding up laborious tasks and providing support to the user without overwhelming or overriding the creative process.

[Jolinar]

If AI is to ever be implemented (I'd rather not, there are tools for that already, but w/e), I'd like the technology to somehow embed within my images that will prevent them from being stolen and used for machine learned "art".

Doubt there is a technology like that currently, so I'll just post low-res images with huge watermarks. 🙃

 

[Terribel]

Well...Adobe Firefly is here https://www.adobe.com/sensei/generative-ai/firefly.html

If they can pull this off as shown in the showcase, this will be a huge game changer imho...

[Miratek]

18 minutes ago, Terribel said:

Well...Adobe Firefly is here https://www.adobe.com/sensei/generative-ai/firefly.html

If they can pull this off as shown in the showcase, this will be a huge game changer imho...

Yes, perhaps some here now realize that AI integration is inevitable.