If you forget everything else and just take into account the speed perspective, I have to boldly admit that yes, AI leaves humans far behind. The argument ends here.
But if you go by basic or complex edits and quality results it gives, then can AI edit product photos better than humans will be the question with several ends.
Of course, you can’t say that AI doesn’t produce results like Photoshop’s pen tool, which has to be drawn by hand. There will be many cases that will amaze you.
But the thing is, if you can really leave your fatty product catalog in the hands of AI and focus on something else. So, let’s get to know exactly when AI works well in image editing and when you have no choice but to rely on a skilled editor.
What AI Editors Think of eCommerce Product Photos?
You know that commercial photos are not random works of art, but rather an integral part of a big plan. For this, on the one hand, you need to get along with what the platforms order, while you also have to respond to the brand’s unique identity.
AI is such a system that doesn’t really care about this vision of yours. It sees your carefully taken photos as a bunch of pixels. It has its own language, in which, if you can convey your purpose, it starts trying to do so.
But it is a big challenge to always choose the right words to command AI, and it is also true that AI cannot always follow commands properly. After all, it is non-stop learning.
AI may remove the background of an image in a second, but it may leave behind some residue.
Because it’s not yet smart enough to realise that if 2 of your 100 images have some dots of background color left behind, you won’t be able to submit them to Amazon.
Can AI Edit Product Photos Better Than Humans in Any Case?
Yes, it can, and those cases are if the intended editing is at a very basic level.
The software won’t worry too much about changing the color of 50 coffee mugs from dark blue to black. But feed its system 10 images of cardigans with an intricate design in several shades of blue as input, and you will see it walking in an unexpected direction.
It’s normal that in this case you’ll have to try on 4 or 5 cardigans again to see if it can turn them all black. Now you might see that it has successfully turned the blue of the two fabrics into black. That means you’ll have to try again for the rest.
So, according to the above example, the difference between AI and human editing stands as follows:
| What Human Image Editing Offers | What You Get from AI Image Editing |
| Deep focus, time-consuming, highly precise, look-alike texture to originals | Instant, high speed, bulk processing, forgets brand identity |
AI or Human Who Is Good at Creating Clipping Paths
Are the edges of all types of products the same? You wouldn’t draw the outline around a tiara just like you would for a soccer ball, would you?
But an automated program always wants to follow a specific pattern, it doesn’t care about what the object is.
That’s why it flattens the tiara’s craftsmanship when following its underlying algorithm. And, in the case of that soccer ball, it cuts so well that the result is far better than any human editor.
Can AI Give a Human-Like Touch in the Ghost Mannequin Effect?
AI can instantly make the model inside the dress disappear and also does a fantastic job of giving the dress a 3D look. The problem arises when it comes to making the outside view of the coat consistent with the view inside the collar.
However, in many cases, if you go all out to generate the entire image from scratch, you can get a stunning hollow effect on apparel products. Sounds very promising, doesn’t it?
But if you ask me if there is a master prompt that I can use over and over again and still get the results I want, I have no choice but to disappoint you.
What I can say for sure is that all your attempts will end up in a situation where you will need the touch of a skilled photo retoucher.
Is AI Smart Enough to Perform Quality Shadow Creation?
The answer depends on how generic the shadow is. AI can create alluring shadows in 3 to 5 seconds that would take a seasoned designer hours to create. The question is-
- How much is it necessary for your eCommerce product, or is it necessary at all?
You’ve probably already noticed that your visitors are turning away after seeing exaggerated images of your products.
People tend to think of all visuals these days as AI-induced, and that’s very intimidating.
So, drop or mirror, whatever shadows you plan to use to enhance your product image, make it look alike all the way to the real product. Nothing more, nothing less.
How Much Can AI Beat Human Editors in Color Correction?
AI tools can adjust the white point of over a hundred clothing images in seconds to ensure proper lighting. These results are so good that you can be completely worry-free about your massive product catalogs.
The gradients you can generate from smart software beat any photo editing experts in terms of time, if you judge.
The thing is – the machine still often fails to grasp the difference between cheap sky blue and royal blue in all cases. It waits for you until you explain it to it by using the right word.
And if you ask me what about color restoration, then I’d say that you shouldn’t even think about any machine without professional intervention. The reason for this is that the damaged color comes in shades that don’t fit into any pattern, let alone the dirt.
Is It Impossible to Bring Quality Results with AI Then?
In this case, I will boldly say that no, it is not impossible. With AI, you can do complex editing and get the results you want.
You are already aware that AI can learn pretty much anything on its own. All it needs is proper instruction and, of course, in sufficient amount, which you will have to provide. For this, you need-
Image editing expertise + knowledge of how AI really thinks
If a skilled image editor manages to get along with how AI thinks, he/she can make AI generate the same results as he/she would manually. So here’s a twist:
Nothing can AI edit product photos better than humans
It makes sense that a person who is pro at manual photo editing could get his/her own skills in line with AI algorithms and thus become a full-fledged AI photo editor. So you can understand why it’s important for you to seek the help of experts here.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can automated image processing improve the loading speed of online storefronts?
Yes, they can. Given the right command, they can give you the size of image files very precisely, which speeds up your store. But the problem is – the aggressive way they compress those files often ruins the pictures, so they will load faster, but viewers won’t feel the resonance you intended.
2. Are there any copyright risks when using generative fills in eCommerce product backgrounds?
Yes, there is. There are many automated tools that perform background removal on some public images for which they haven’t taken permission to use. Using them for commercial purposes means exposing your brand to unexpected copyright infringement, which could result in a financial penalty.
3. How do automated editing platforms create complex metadata when uploading multiple files at once?
Most platforms do not perform this crucial task for image optimization, rather, they ignore metadata altogether. Those that try to go the extra mile for this end up creating a bunch of generic tags like “coffee colored t-shirts.” The worst part is that they use the same keywords again and again in multiple photos.
4. Can I safely rely on algorithmic image enhancement for my brand identity?
You shouldn’t. Because software models often don’t give you pictures focused on your features only. These don’t have your own lighting style and the things that will make your potential customers recognize you out of all other competitors.
5. Is there any harm to the file structure and layers when exporting files from AI tools to Photoshop?
Yes, it does. The machines usually condition the images in such a way that they look completely flat. Besides, they become so much chaotic that you have to go through the hassle of editing them again.
The Verdict: Go Hybrid
Your query should really be how quickly the experts you are resorting to will be able to carry it inside them, not can AI edit product photos better than humans. The sooner that is possible, the more likely it is that keep bringing your sales growth point closer.
You won’t have to worry about any of the basic editing parts of the techniques, from clipping paths to color correction.
I’m not saying that your human editor will find a super prompt and within moments you’ll get your product assets ready to upload to your store. It will still take time, but it’s much, much less than manually editing, like cutting weeks down to hours, even minutes.
Are you already looking for a skilled team who can give you the right value for your valuable time?
Meet Retouching Zone, a long standing team of AI image editors who know how to get the best results from AI. Get in touch with them through this free trial, you will witness that in detail for yourself.
