The Best AI Photo Editor Tools in 2023

In today's digital age, we are constantly bombarded with images. From the selfies we take to the product photos we see in advertisements, we all want our images to look their best. This is where AI photo tools come into play. While AI image generators may be making headlines, AI photo editors have quietly been developing in the background, offering a more practical and useful solution for everyday image enhancement.

As a photographer with over 15 years of experience, I have been testing and using AI photo editors since their inception. Through extensive research and testing, I have identified the best AI photo editors that can help you enhance your images effortlessly. In this article, we will explore the capabilities of these tools and how they can transform your photos into stunning works of art.

What Can AI Photo Editors Do?

AI photo editing has been around for quite some time, with advancements being made to existing technologies rather than major breakthroughs. These tools utilize machine learning and AI techniques to automate and enhance various aspects of image editing. Let's take a look at some of the major features offered by AI photo editors:

1. Upscaling and Sharpening: AI photo editors can enhance low-resolution or blurry images, bringing out more details and improving overall sharpness.
2. Automatic Edits: These tools can detect the type of photo you have taken, whether it's a portrait, landscape, or any other genre, and suggest appropriate edits or tools to enhance the image.
3. Subject Extraction: With a single click, AI photo editors can accurately cut out your subject from the background, allowing you to easily place it in a different setting or remove unwanted elements.
4. Sky Replacement: AI-powered tools can seamlessly replace the sky in your photos with a different one, matching the lighting and ambiance of the rest of the image.
5. Automatic Adjustments: AI algorithms can make simple adjustments to light levels, colors, and contrast, improving the overall appearance of your photos.
6. Face Enhancement: AI photo editors can "improve" faces by smoothing skin, brightening eyes, and making other subtle tweaks to enhance the overall look.
7. Repair and Colorization: Old black-and-white photos can be repaired and colorized using AI algorithms, breathing new life into cherished memories.
8. Subject Selection and Masking: AI-powered tools can accurately select or mask your subject, allowing for hands-on edits and adjustments.

These are just a few examples of the capabilities of AI photo editors. From basic adjustments to advanced enhancements, these tools leverage AI to create an intelligent and automated image editing experience.

Evaluating AI Photo Editors

As a professional in the field, I have evaluated and tested numerous AI photo editors to identify the best options available. To ensure a fair and comprehensive assessment, I followed a rigorous evaluation process. Here's how I tested each AI photo editor:

1. Usability: I focused on evaluating the general usability and AI aspects of each app. This involved testing sample photos to gauge the automatic adjustments made by the tools, their performance with low-quality images, and their effectiveness in subject extraction and object removal.
2. Workflow: I considered the overall workflow offered by each app. I prioritized full-featured apps that could handle end-to-end image editing, ensuring a seamless and efficient editing process.
3. Experience: I assessed the speed, effectiveness, and intuitiveness of each app. The best AI photo editors should offer powerful features with a learning curve that matches their feature set.
4. Results: I examined the quality of the edits produced by each app. The best AI photo editors should deliver exceptional results, avoiding heavy-handed adjustments and accurately selecting subjects.
5. Customization and Control: I valued AI photo editors that allowed for customization and control over the editing process. One-click edits can be convenient, but the ability to fine-tune adjustments and manually edit images is essential for professional editing.

Based on these criteria, I have compiled a list of the top AI photo editors that excel in terms of AI capabilities, workflow, results, and customization.

The Best AI Photo Editors

1. Adobe Photoshop

   Adobe Photoshop is a full-featured photo editing and design app that has been the industry standard for over three decades. It offers some of the most advanced AI-powered tools available. With features like Content Aware Fill, Neural Filters, and automatic subject and background selection, Photoshop sets the bar high for AI photo editing. It also provides extensive control and customization options, allowing users to fine-tune edits and integrate AI features seamlessly. Adobe Photoshop is a powerful tool for both professional photographers and designers. Pricing: From $19.99/month as part of the Photography Plan, which includes Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.

2. Luminar Neo

   Luminar Neo is a photo editor that truly harnesses the power of AI. It offers deep integration of AI throughout the app, making it an essential tool for photographers. With features like AI-powered enhance, sky replacement, automatic subject detection, and AI face and skin adjustments, Luminar Neo provides advanced AI capabilities while maintaining control and flexibility for users. It's a powerful tool that allows for fine-tuning of AI effects, ensuring that your photos look exactly how you want them to. Pricing: From $9.95/month for the Explore plan; from $14.95/month for the Pro plan, which includes additional AI-powered features.

3. Canva

   Canva is not just a design app; it also offers a powerful AI photo editor. With its template-based design approach and AI extras, Canva makes it incredibly easy to create stunning designs for social media posts, CVs, invitations, and more. Canva's AI features, such as Text to Image, Magic Eraser, Magic Edit, and Magic Design, provide users with creative options and automation. Whether you're a professional designer or someone with no design experience, Canva's AI photo editor is a user-friendly and versatile tool. Pricing: Free with limited access to AI tools; from $12.99/month for Pro with more AI tools and higher usage limits.

4. Pixlr

   Pixlr is an easy-to-use online photo editing tool that offers separate AI apps for different editing needs. With Pixlr E, Pixlr X, Photomash, Remove Bg, and Batch Editor, Pixlr provides a range of options for users. While Pixlr E offers a Photoshop-style image editing experience, Photomash and Remove Bg excel in AI photo editing. These apps feature automatic subject selection, object removal, and other AI-powered tools. Pixlr's affordability and ease of use make it a popular choice among users looking for a reliable AI photo editor. Pricing: Free for limited AI use; from $7.99/month for Premium with all features.

5. Lensa

   Lensa is a mobile AI photo editor that specializes in handling portraits and selfies. With features like Magic Retouch, AI face and skin adjustments, and advanced subject selection, Lensa can enhance your photos effortlessly. It offers a seamless editing experience, allowing users to quickly retouch portraits, remove unwanted elements, and replace backgrounds with ease. Lensa's AI-powered tools, combined with its intuitive mobile interface, make it a top choice for on-the-go photo editing. Pricing: Free to save one image per day; from $2.99/week or $4.99/month. Magic Avatars are a separate purchase from $3.99.

The Future of AI Photo Editing

AI photo editors are continuously evolving, with new features and advancements being introduced regularly. As technology progresses, we can expect even more powerful AI capabilities to be integrated into these tools. Features like Generative Fill and Remove Tool in Photoshop showcase the potential of AI in image editing, allowing for seamless and intelligent changes to be made to photos.

The future will likely bring more AI photo editors to the market, each with its own unique offerings and capabilities. As AI continues to advance, the possibilities for image enhancement and automation are endless. Whether you're a professional photographer or an amateur enthusiast, AI photo tools will play an increasingly important role in transforming your images into stunning works of art.

In conclusion, AI photo editors offer a wide range of features and capabilities that can enhance your images with ease. From automatic adjustments to subject extraction and background replacement, these tools leverage AI algorithms to streamline the editing process. Whether you choose Adobe Photoshop, Luminar Neo, Canva, Pixlr, or Lensa, you can rest assured that you are using one of the best AI photo editors available. Embrace the power of AI and take your photo editing to new heights.