A Value-Oriented Investigation of Photoshop's Generative Fill

TL;DR

This study examines how Photoshop's Generative Fill AI tool impacts creative professionals' workflow values, highlighting benefits in efficiency and creative expansion but also revealing tensions around authenticity and skill development.

Contribution

It applies a value-sensitive design framework to analyze user perceptions of Photoshop's Generative Fill, revealing its influence on productivity and creative authenticity.

Findings

GF improves efficiency in creative tasks

GF creates tension between automation and originality

GF impacts user skills and sense of pride in craftsmanship

Abstract

The creative industry is both concerned and enthusiastic about how generative AI will reshape creativity. How might these tools interact with the workflow values of creative artists? In this paper, we adopt a value-sensitive design framework to examine how generative AI, particularly Photoshop's Generative Fill (GF), helps or hinders creative professionals' values. We obtained 566 unique posts about GF from online forums for creative professionals who use Photoshop in their current work practices. We conducted reflexive thematic analysis focusing on usefulness, ease of use, and user values. Users found GF useful in doing touch-ups, expanding images, and generating composite images. GF helped users' values of productivity by making work efficient but created a value tension around creativity: it helped reduce barriers to creativity but hindered distinguishing 'human' from algorithmic art. Furthermore, GF hindered lived experiences shaping creativity and hindered the honed prideful skills of creative work.