Adobe’s creative tools have always been acclaimed for their power and flexibility. With the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, Adobe has integrated AI-driven features into many of its apps. One such addition is the Ask AI Assistant – a tool designed to help users by offering contextual tips, editing suggestions, and even generating creative elements based on prompts. While this can be helpful to many, not everyone finds it useful. If you’re someone who prefers a clutter-free workspace or simply doesn’t need hints from an AI assistant, turning off this feature might enhance your creative experience.
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Adobe has introduced the Ask AI Assistant in its suite of applications like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat to enhance productivity with smart suggestions. However, if you prefer working without automated prompts or find the assistant disruptive, you can disable it through your app’s preferences or account settings. The process varies slightly depending on the application you are using. This article walks you through step-by-step instructions to turn it off and regain full manual control of your workspace.
Why Adobe Introduced the Ask AI Assistant
Adobe’s goal with integrating AI into its software is to boost productivity and simplify tasks for users. The Ask AI Assistant helps by:
- Providing smart suggestions based on your activity
- Offering instant access to tutorials, help content, and documentation
- Generating text or design ideas from natural language commands
- Assisting with repetitive tasks using AI automation
While that sounds convenient, these features might not suit every workflow. Professional designers, editors, and writers might find their rhythms disrupted by constant pop-ups or suggestions. Let’s look at how to deactivate it.
Turning Off Ask AI Assistant in Adobe Creative Cloud Apps
The way to disable the Ask AI Assistant varies across Adobe’s applications, but the general method involves adjusting your settings either in the app directly or through your Adobe account. Here’s a closer look at how to do it in the most popular apps.
1. Adobe Photoshop
Photoshop users will find the AI Assistant located on the right-hand sidebar. If you’re using a version 2024 or later, the assistant may auto-launch when you open a project.
To turn off the assistant in Photoshop:
- Go to Edit > Preferences > General (Windows) or Photoshop > Preferences > General (macOS).
- Look for a checkbox labeled “Enable Ask AI Assistant” or similar.
- Uncheck the box and click OK or Apply.
- Restart Photoshop to apply changes.
2. Adobe Illustrator
In Illustrator, the AI Assistant can show up as a small chat bubble or sidebar offering suggestions or quick tips. Here’s how to disable it:
- Navigate to Edit > Preferences > AI Assistant.
- Toggle off the assistant features by unchecking options such as “Show contextual tips” and “Suggest design elements.”
- Click Apply and restart Illustrator.
Tip: If you use a workspace that you’ve customized, saving it before applying new changes ensures you can restore it if needed.
3. Adobe Acrobat DC
In Acrobat, the AI Assistant provides help with document formatting, summarization, and natural language search through the “Liquid Mode” or a chat plugin. To remove it:
- Open Acrobat and click on the Help menu.
- Select AI Settings or go to Edit > Preferences.
- Look under the General or Smart Tools section for options to disable the AI Assistant.
- Uncheck the settings labeled “Enable AI assistance,” “Smart Help,” or similar terms.
Note: Some features may remain visible unless completely disabled from your Adobe account preferences (explained below).
Disable Ask AI Assistant from Adobe Account Settings
If you use multiple Adobe apps and want to apply global preferences, or if app-specific settings don’t fully disable Ask AI, your best bet is to change the settings in your Adobe profile.
Steps to do this:
- Visit https://account.adobe.com and log in to your Adobe ID.
- Select Privacy & Personalization from the side menu.
- Scroll to AI and Assistant Settings.
- Toggle OFF the option that says “Enable AI Assistant across all apps.”
- Click Save Changes.
These settings usually take effect the next time you launch an Adobe app.
Benefits of Disabling the AI Assistant
While AI-powered features are evolving and getting better with every update, there are valid reasons to keep them turned off. Here are a few advantages:
- Uncluttered Interface: No pop-ups or tooltips breaking your focus.
- Manual Control: You retain full creative control without automation tweaking your workflow.
- System Performance: AI features often run background processes that can slow things down on older machines.
- Privacy Control: Some creative professionals are wary of data sharing with AI-assisted tools.
Disabling the assistant doesn’t remove any core functionalities of your Adobe tools—it just stops the AI from making suggestions or popping up uninvited.
Can You Re-enable the Assistant Later?
Absolutely! If you decide to give it another chance in the future, you can always re-enable Ask AI through the same settings menus. Adobe often updates these tools, and newer versions might better suit your style or improve upon earlier experiences.
What If You Don’t See the Option to Disable?
In some cases—especially with enterprise or educational accounts—your administrator may have locked or changed settings regarding AI usage. Also, certain beta features or versions of Adobe apps may not yet offer the ability to completely disable AI tools.
If you’re unable to find the option, try:
- Updating your app to the latest version
- Contacting your system administrator (for managed devices)
- Reaching out to Adobe Support directly
Final Thoughts
Adobe’s AI features have the potential to revolutionize how creatives work, but they’re not for everyone. If you value a distraction-free environment or simply prefer doing things your own way, turning off the Ask AI Assistant is both easy and reversible. With just a few clicks, you can reclaim your workspace and work at your own pace—just like you’ve always done.
Whether Adobe’s AI assistant becomes a cornerstone of your workflow or a feature you disable entirely, having control over your tools is what makes Adobe Creative Suite so powerful in the first place.
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