The AI Desk · Story 2

Did AI actually replace Photoshop?

Did AI actually replace Photoshop?
Image via r/ChatGPT

A Reddit post in r/ChatGPT asks whether AI has actually replaced Photoshop, sparking a debate about Adobe's subscription model and the role of AI tools. The post has garnered over 13,000 upvotes and 446 comments.

The discussion reflects a broader tension between traditional creative software and emerging AI tools, as users weigh cost, convenience, and nostalgia against new capabilities.

Key details

  • The post was published on June 12, 2026, in the r/ChatGPT subreddit.
  • It received a score of 13,384 and 446 comments.
  • The top comment, with 686 upvotes, expresses hope that AI has replaced Photoshop due to Adobe's subscription model.
  • Another top comment notes that AI can be used within Photoshop itself, complicating the replacement narrative.

Discussion angles

  • Many users criticize Adobe's switch to a subscription model, calling it corporate greed and hoping AI tools will disrupt it.
  • Some commenters point out that AI features are already integrated into Photoshop, so replacement is not a simple binary.
  • A nostalgic angle emerges, with users romanticizing the pre-subscription, manual-editing era of Photoshop.
  • One user suggests adopting a humorous blanket term like 'Digital Image Fuckery' for all image editing tools.

Top comments

The community reaction is largely critical of Adobe's subscription model, with many hoping AI tools will offer a free or cheaper alternative. However, some note that AI is already part of Photoshop, and a few express nostalgia for older, non-AI editing workflows.

I hope its true! When Adobe switched to a subscription model that was the ultimate corporate greed move! Screw them
u/crispysockz · 686 score
Well you can use AI within photoshop so idk
u/code_the_cosmos · 574 score
Good old analog Photoshop days when people actually put work in.
u/inphenite · 242 score
We should just use a blanket term like "Digital Image Fuckery"!
u/amhudson02 · 169 score
The year they made that switch I couldn't help but laugh. I had been using copies of Photoshop since the days of Kazaa and Limewire, and felt like they deserved me buying an official license once I was finally in a position of life to even consider it....
u/SpehlingAirer · 164 score
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