Pixlr Introduces AI Tools: A User-Friendly Photo Editing Experience

Pixlr Introduces AI Tools: A User-Friendly Photo Editing Experience

Pixlr aims to be more user-friendly than its rivals, yet still supports advanced users.

Pixlr, an online photo editing tool, wants you to know it now has AI capabilities.

Although Pixlr isn’t as old as Adobe Photoshop, it has been around since 2008, long before many AI startups. Initially, it was a standard photo editor without AI. After several ownership changes, founder Ola Sevandersson is back, bringing new AI tools to Pixlr.

In November, Pixlr introduced AI features like an image generator, a generative fill tool, a background removal tool, and image expansion functionality.

Pixlr aims to be user-friendly while also catering to advanced users. Competitors include Adobe Photoshop (with its Firefly AI tool), Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, PhotoRoom, and Leonardo.ai, which Canva recently acquired. Pixlr offers a free version, but to stand out, it needs more than basic AI features.

Trying Pixlr’s Image Generation

To use Pixlr, sign up or log in with your email. Once verified, you can start using it.

I tested the image generation feature by asking Pixlr to create an Olympic scene with a gold medal-winning athlete. The first result was cartoonish, so I experimented with styles like anime, neon punk, photographic, and origami.

Most results were good, though one athlete’s trophy was glitchy. For a free tool, it’s impressive. Pixlr also offers subscription plans from 89 cents to $9.91 per month.

Next, I challenged Pixlr by requesting an image of She-Ra at a Waffle House. (She-Ra was He-Man’s twin sister and a childhood heroine of mine.) The results were impressive, though I didn’t realize She-Ra was rebooted in 2018, which Pixlr referenced. The Waffle House depictions were optimistic, and She-Ra’s realistic versions had lifeless eyes. Still, it was impressive Pixlr recognized She-Ra.

Pixlr Versus the Competition

When asked how Pixlr compares to tools like Photoshop, Sevandersson emphasized ease of use. Pixlr is accessible online for free.

“We simplified the technology to make it work for most people,” he said.

Sevandersson didn’t provide user numbers but mentioned Pixlr generates millions of images daily. A November press release stated that nearly 10 million people use Pixlr monthly.

“One of our most-used features is still cropping,” he added. “Even if someone uses [OpenAI’s image generator] Dall-E, they still want to crop the image.”

Cropping is a legacy feature from Pixlr’s early days. Founded in 2008, Pixlr was acquired by Autodesk in 2011 and then by stock photo agency 123RF in 2017.

Sevandersson left after the Autodesk deal and returned under 123RF. Pixlr is now spun out but remains partly owned by 123RF. It’s based in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

“Five years ago, we began rebuilding everything,” Sevandersson said about the original tool. The background removal tool was Pixlr’s first AI product.

“The big change started two years ago with the first generative image generators,” he added. “We realized this new technology would change everything. Photo editing will never be the same.”

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