At the MAX Sneaks 2026, Adobe showed ten research projects, two of which can already be tested. Deep Brush and Hands On are available as an early preview in the new Adobe Labs Playground; for the remaining eight, Adobe does not name a launch date.
Deep Brush uses AI to recognize the shape, color, and light of an image and is meant to open up new ways to paint and edit based on that. Hands On uses object recognition and vision-language models to display controls directly on the canvas. Both are considered a Research Preview, that is, a research preview with no product commitment.
What do the ten Sneaks show?
Four projects revolve around video. Scene Sweep recognizes characters, locations, and scenes across multiple cuts so that changes can be applied consistently. Screen Test develops fictional characters with appearance, voice, and personality, Live Set changes the subject, environment, or camera movement during playback, and On Cue sets the timing of actions in AI-generated videos.
Adobe Sneaks 2026 in Zahlen
Vorgestellt am 11. November 2026 auf der Adobe MAX
- 10Forschungsprojekte vorgestellt
- 2als Vorschau im Playground testbar
- 0Starttermine, die Adobe nennt
Sneaks sind Forschung, kein Produktversprechen
Quellen: Adobe Blog, Dr. Web
In addition, there is Sound Bender, which isolates a sound described via text from a finished mix and generates variations. Sight Span turns an image into an explorable environment, Link Up brings design elements together via drag and creates editable vector graphics. Rinse Repeat transfers an editing step to another part of the image and rebuilds it with Photoshop tools so that it remains editable. Adobe describes all ten projects in the blog on the MAX Sneaks 2026.
How do you test Deep Brush and Hands On?
Both projects are available in the Adobe Labs Playground, which Adobe launched in parallel with the show. How you get access there is not answered by the blog post: Adobe does not state the price, languages, countries, or whether an Adobe account is required. Adobe accepts feedback by email at labs@adobe.com. As another project, Adobe shows Project Custom Filters for Photoshop, which is not a Sneak.
Dr. Web classifies the projects as research, not as a product promise: According to Adobe, about every second Sneaks project later becomes a product, and Sneaks lead Ben Forta says an appearance does not make that more likely. As an example, Dr. Web cites Project Cloak, which was shown in 2017 and released in 2019 as content-aware fill for video in After Effects. Dr. Web also advises using your own photos in the Playground rather than client material.
What this means for you
It's best to try Deep Brush and Hands On right away on one of your own photos, and read the Playground's terms of use beforehand, since Adobe does not summarize them in the blog. Don't upload client material. After the test, note what stands out to you and send your feedback to labs@adobe.com, because Adobe accepts feedback there.
For the remaining eight projects, you'd better not plan around a feature that doesn't exist yet. Without a launch date, they show where Adobe's programs could be heading, but they are not suitable for the weekly planning of your jobs.
Adobe presented the Sneaks on November 11, 2026.
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