OpenAI has expanded the range of applications available within ChatGPT, adding some of Adobe’s most popular tools. Users can now access Photoshop, Acrobat and Adobe Express directly through the chatbot, continuing OpenAI’s efforts to transform ChatGPT into a central hub for professional and creative workflows.
The integration allows users to interact with Adobe software without leaving OpenAI’s website. All three applications are free to use within ChatGPT, though users must sign in to their Adobe account to generate PDFs or create illustrations via Acrobat and Adobe Express. Accessing the apps is straightforward: users can either reference them in a prompt or select them from ChatGPT’s plus menu.
Photoshop stands out among the three for its interface that adapts to user prompts. Depending on the task, ChatGPT presents the most relevant editing controls. For instance, a prompt to brighten an image triggers sliders for exposure, shadows and highlights, while adding an effect may show options such as dithering or tri-tone adjustments. The dynamic interface aims to simplify Adobe’s traditionally complex tools.
What makes the integration particularly notable is the technical framework behind it. ChatGPT interacts with Adobe applications via an MCP server, enabling seamless access to a slice of Adobe’s features via natural language commands. “We build the Lego blocks, which are the MCP tools, and we create detailed instructions, and then ChatGPT figures out what it wants to do,” said Aubrey Cattell, vice-president of developer platform and partner ecosystem at Adobe. “Sometimes it does what we want it to, and sometimes it doesn’t. That’s the nature of it being non-deterministic, and we’re continuing to hone as much as we can from users’ intent and natural language to give them the result that they’re looking for.”
Despite the convenience, users seeking full control and advanced functionality can still access the web versions of Photoshop, Acrobat and Adobe Express. The ChatGPT integration is intended to complement, rather than replace, the traditional software experience.
A major step for ChatGPT as an app hub
The move represents a major step toward OpenAI’s vision of making ChatGPT an operating system-like environment for its over 800 million users. For Adobe, partnering with OpenAI could be seen as a bold collaboration, particularly given OpenAI’s own image generation capabilities. However, Cattell described the relationship as mutually beneficial rather than competitive.
“A couple of weeks back, OpenAI dropped Apps SDK as a new paradigm for accessing ChatGPT. We saw there was a natural fit in the work we were doing with our applications,” Cattell explained. “Essentially, they gave us an operating system we were able to leverage to bring our applications to the surface. There’s a lot of natural affinity there between the workflows OpenAI is trying to enable and Adobe’s best-in-class capabilities.”
Streamlined workflows and AI-assisted creativity
The integration promises to streamline creative and professional workflows, allowing users to perform tasks such as editing images, generating PDFs and designing graphics without switching between multiple platforms. Cattell emphasised that Adobe will continue to explore ways to enhance the ChatGPT experience while maintaining the web applications for users who require greater precision and control.
By combining ChatGPT’s accessibility with Adobe’s suite’s functionality, the partnership highlights how AI-driven interfaces can reshape software usage. Users can now navigate Adobe tools with simple conversational commands rather than traditional menus and panels, potentially lowering the barrier to newcomers while offering experienced users a faster, more intuitive workflow.
As OpenAI continues to expand its app ecosystem, Adobe’s integration signals a broader trend in which established software companies embrace AI platforms to reach larger audiences and simplify complex tasks. The collaboration also demonstrates how natural language processing can serve as a bridge between powerful professional tools and everyday users, creating opportunities for both innovation and efficiency.
The integration of Adobe’s applications with ChatGPT is now live, with users encouraged to sign in to their Adobe accounts to explore the new capabilities. While the web versions remain the go-to option for advanced features, the chatbot interface offers a compelling glimpse of how AI may redefine how people create, edit, and share digital content.
