After adding a dedicated space for YouTube Shorts creation in the Premiere app for iOS last year, Adobe has now announced major updates for Premiere and After Effects on desktop, with new AI-powered tools designed to speed up video editing.
According to Adobe, the latest update for its video editor introduces an Object Mask feature that leverages AI to help users easily create masks of complex moving subjects. With this tool, users can simply hover over a subject and click to generate a mask, instead of manually drawing around it with the pen or shape tools.
After making a general selection using the new tool, users can “add or subtract areas from the Object Mask using fast lasso and rectangular editing tools and easily adjust the mask with feathering and resizing controls.” Essentially, the Object Mask feature takes the grunt work out of creating masks while still giving users the flexibility to fine-tune the result.
AI-powered masking runs locally in Premiere
Adobe says that this tool uses a new assistive AI model developed in house that runs entirely on-device. This means users can generate masks without sending footage to the cloud, which should result in faster performance while keeping projects private. The company adds that it does not use customer data to train the model, reinforcing its focus on privacy.
The update also improves the Shape Mask tool, letting users generate redesigned Ellipse, Rectangle, and Pen masks directly from the toolbar. It even refines mask controls, allowing for more precise movement and adjustments.
Adobe claims the updated masks can now track objects in video clips 20 times faster. Furthermore, the update makes it easier for users to import media from Firefly Boards, Adobe’s AI-powered digital canvas, and integrates Adobe Stock within Premiere, streamlining access to licensed assets.
The After Effects update adds support for importing SVG files and introduces 3D parametric meshes, allowing users to build graphics and photorealistic objects using customizable shapes like cubes, spheres, cylinders, cones, toris, and planes. The new Premiere and After Effects updates are already rolling out, and users can install them via the Creative Cloud app.