Photography aficionados have plenty of reason to be excited following the release of an amazing demo from an independent research team. Dubbed DragGAN, this new AI-powered software could be the end of photography as we know it. This powerful tool enables users to completely transform a photo, changing its subject’s expressions, body positions and even minor details such as reflections.
In recent years, Photoshop has already been incorporating AI-powered tools into its menus. But the DragGAN demo takes photo editing to the next level, with its precise manipulation of photos and a user interface that makes for a smooth and intuitive experience. Unlike other existing tools like Perspective Warp and Photoshop’s Neural Filters, DragGAN actually generates new pixels based on the surrounding context and where the user places drag points. This combination of point-and-click and generative adversarial network tech results in a myriad of possible photo editing options.
DragGAN won’t immediately be available for consumer use, but when it is, expect it to be a huge hit. The software puts incredible power right into the hands of photographers and it could potentially replace phones as our primary tools for capturing and editing images. Moreover, with its masks and granular controls, DragGAN could help reduce errors and artifacts often associated with photo manipulation.
The long-term vision of DragGAN clearly involves 3D generative models, giving users the ability to seamlessly manipulate 3D objects. No matter how it is eventually developed, this AI-powered technology promises to forever change the definition of what a photo is.
The developers of DragGAN are not alone in carrying this torch. Just like the introduction of Photoshop in 1987 revolutionized photo manipulation, similar projects such as Google’s Magic Eraser and Face Unblur, as well as Photoshop’s Remove Tool are making their own mark on photography. All of these tools will have a profound impact on the democratization of photo editing and completely alter our culture’s concept of photos.
John Knoll, co-creator of Adobe Photoshop, highlighted the importance of these breakthroughs as he demonstrated the revolutionary photo editing software back in 1987. Today, we find ourselves in a similar momentous situation as advanced AI-driven photo editing tools such as DragGAN show us what the future of photography holds.
