Adobe has introduced major updates to its flagship video and motion graphics software, rolling out AI-powered video editing tools in Premiere Pro and significant motion design enhancements in After Effects as part of the 26.0 Creative Cloud releases. The updates are designed to help filmmakers, editors and motion designers work faster and more intuitively while maintaining full creative control.
AI Tools Enhance Video Editing in Premiere Pro
One of the headline additions to Premiere Pro 26.0 is the new AI-powered Object Mask, which drastically simplifies the task of isolating and tracking complex subjects in video clips. Editors can now generate precise masks with a single click, compared with traditionally time-consuming manual techniques. The tool includes visual overlays, fast tracking and powerful refinement options, allowing effects like background blurs, relighting or targeted color grading without hours of manual labor.
Alongside Object Mask, Premiere Pro introduces redesigned Shape Masks with up to 20× faster tracking, turning what used to be a bottleneck into a creative opportunity. These enhancements make it easier to apply effects, animate transitions and work with dynamic subjects across the timeline.
The updates also strengthen collaboration and workflow integration with tools like Firefly Boards, which bring AI-first ideation and storyboarding assets straight into Premiere, and an improved Frame.io panel that lets editors manage versions, comments, and media without leaving the editing interface. Adobe Stock integration has also been expanded, giving editors access to millions of clips that can be licensed and dropped into projects instantly.
Creative Power Boost in After Effects
After Effects 26.0 delivers a suite of motion design upgrades aimed at expanding creative possibilities and accelerating workflows. New vector workflows now let users import and animate SVG files with full fidelity, preserving gradients and transparency while keeping them fully editable.
A significant new feature is the ability to create native 3D parametric meshes — such as cubes, spheres, cones and more — directly within After Effects. Combined with enhanced shadow tools, these capabilities help artists build realistic scenes and stylized graphics without external 3D software.
The update also includes access to over 1,300 free Substance 3D materials that can be applied to both native and imported meshes, adding depth, realism and rich textures to motion graphics projects. Animatable properties and customizable material controls allow artists to bring these elements to life.
Another creative boost comes from variable font animation, enabling designers to animate up to eight axes of a variable font per layer. This tool greatly expands motion typography capabilities, giving creators granular control over font attributes such as weight, width, slant and more — all within After Effects’ Essential Graphics panel and Motion Graphics templates.
Productivity and Workflow Improvements
Beyond headline features, the updates include a range of quality-of-life enhancements. After Effects introduces a new Unmult effect that accelerates compositing by quickly removing backgrounds based on brightness thresholds, as well as three new audio effects — Gate, Compressor and Distortion — for shaping sound natively in the app. Performance improvements, extended preview durations and reorganized settings menus help keep creators focused on storytelling rather than setup and rendering delays.
Both Premiere Pro and After Effects 26.0 are available now through Adobe Creative Cloud. Users are encouraged to open the Creative Cloud desktop app to install the updates and begin exploring the new creative and AI-driven workflows.
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