6.3 – How To Use Adobe Express with Generative AI Lesson

Lesson Overview

This lesson explores how Adobe Express’s latest beta integrates Generative AI, enhancing the online design process with new creative options. With these updated features, users can generate custom images and unique text effects by simply describing what they envision—saving time and empowering more experimentation. In this walkthrough, you’ll see how to access and leverage core AI tools within your projects, customize templates, and use editable elements effectively.

Adobe Express’s transition from a straightforward design tool to an AI-augmented platform lets users seamlessly blend original content, AI-generated assets, and prebuilt templates—all from a web browser. If you regularly create social media graphics, short videos, announcements, or marketing materials, Adobe Express now provides fast ways to personalize and enhance your work with AI.

You’ll also learn shortcuts like removing image backgrounds, resizing for multiple platforms (Instagram, stories, flyers), and downloading or sharing files without separate software. This update is especially relevant for creators who need flexibility and quick turnarounds. Real-world uses might include making branded posts, YouTube thumbnails, event flyers, or promotional images—now with the simplicity of text-based AI prompts.

Who This Is For

Whether you’re a design beginner or looking to upgrade your workflow with AI, this lesson aims to help you incorporate Adobe Express’s new features quickly and easily.

• Social media managers crafting daily posts and stories
• Educators preparing classroom visuals and activity sheets
• Marketers and small business owners promoting products and events
• Content creators making shareable graphics or video covers
• Anyone seeking to experiment with Generative AI for accessible design
• Teams collaborating on visual projects in need of simple, web-based tools

Where This Fits in a Workflow

You’ll use these Adobe Express skills early in the design process when preparing marketing or social content, or whenever a fast, polished visual is needed. For example, a business owner could use text-to-image AI to create unique background art for an upcoming promotion, or a social media manager could auto-resize graphics for different platforms in seconds. Integrating Generative AI at this stage speeds up brainstorming, increases design variety, and allows rapid iteration—all before spending time on editing or publishing.

This process also pairs well with collaborative projects, letting teams co-create and refine assets directly in the browser. The ability to instantly move from concept to export across multiple formats makes Adobe Express especially practical for workflows with tight deadlines or changing requirements.

Technical & Workflow Benefits

Traditional design tools often require switching between multiple applications, searching external stock libraries, or manually cutting out backgrounds. Adobe Express’s integrated Generative AI features eliminate many of these steps by letting you describe desired visuals and text effects directly within your workspace. You can quickly test different prompts, swap out backgrounds, or apply new styles with a click—reducing the time and skill barrier for high-quality output.

For example, creating a custom image with a prompt like “floating city in the sky” yields a set of editable assets, ready to incorporate instantly. Editing text with an “energy metallic” prompt adds professional effects without complex layering. Removing backgrounds—which is usually a multi-step, subscription feature—becomes a one-click process, speeding up workflow for making thumbnails or promotional graphics. All of this supports more consistent, creative, and timely content delivery.

Practice Exercise

Choose a project you might actually use, such as an Instagram post announcing an event or a YouTube video cover.

1. Open Adobe Express and start a new design, using either a blank canvas or a template that fits your project's goal.
2. Use the Text-to-Image AI tool to create a custom background or visual element by typing a descriptive prompt.
3. Add and modify text, applying an AI-powered text effect (such as metallic, neon, or another texture) using your own prompt.

After completing your design, compare the process with any previous method you’ve used.

Question: Did using AI features speed up your workflow or give you more creative options? How did the final result differ from past designs?

Course Context Recap

This lesson builds on your introduction to Generative AI within Adobe Express, moving from exploring available features to hands-on project creation. You’ve now seen practical uses, from manipulating templates to advanced asset creation, and how to export work for social media or other channels. Next, the course will cover more specific applications and advanced uses of AI design tools. Explore the full course to continue improving your design skills and discover more ways Generative AI can enhance your creative output.