{"id":3519,"date":"2023-11-07T20:08:27","date_gmt":"2023-11-07T20:08:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pathedits.com\/blog\/is-it-better-to-remove-background-by-hand-or-with-ai\/"},"modified":"2024-12-04T13:54:37","modified_gmt":"2024-12-04T13:54:37","slug":"is-it-better-to-remove-background-by-hand-or-with-ai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pathedits.com\/blogs\/tips\/is-it-better-to-remove-background-by-hand-or-with-ai","title":{"rendered":"Is It Better to Remove Background by Hand or With AI?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Every business uses some form of technology. And, believe it or not, more businesses use artificial intelligence (AI)<\/a> than you probably realize. Many even use it in their photo editing processes, especially when it comes to tedious tasks like background removal. However, some things are best left to humans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, we were curious, are AI background removal tools all they\u2019re cracked up to be? Or do we still need human finesse and creativity in this part of the photo editing process? Let\u2019s see how background removal by hand vs. AI background removal compare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Background removal by hand vs. AI background removal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Background removal by hand<\/a> involves photo editing software, with Adobe Photoshop being the go-to choice for many. When removing backgrounds in Photoshop by hand, you\u2019ll typically use a combination of tools and techniques, including clipping paths, image masking, the Brush tool, Magic Eraser, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI background removal, on the other hand, involves technology outside of Photoshop. The technology automatically detects the background and the foreground and then isolates each from one another, creating a cropped out image on a transparent<\/a> or white background. It relies on machine learning to accomplish this process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Note<\/strong>: Our virtual photo editing team at Path edits every photo by hand\u2014no AI or automations here. We carefully zoom in up to 500x to make sure every last detail is captured. You need those details to convert customers! Especially when they zoom in on your product photos. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Here\u00a0is an example of\u00a0an image we removed the background from. You can see the original, some versions edited with AI, and then the image\u00a0the Path team edited by hand.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\"Comparison\n\n\n\n

Notice how the AI-edited images differ here\u2014they both cut out the dog\u2019s tail and one of them actually cut out a portion of the dog\u2019s leg! As you can see, if you sell pet products or feature animals in your photos, you might want to pay extra attention to how AI background removal tools treat edges with hair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even humans and clothing can pose challenges for AI background removers, as illustrated in these product photos. Be extra careful if you have models with curly hair or products with fuzzy edges like sweaters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI background removal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We can\u2019t say AI-edited images are a total flop. AI background removal does have its advantages, though it\u2019s tough to say whether they outweigh the drawbacks. Let\u2019s take a look:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advantages of AI background removal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n