Laptop shuts down when using Illustrator and Photoshop

I think your laptop is struggling with the heavy workload, especially with only 8GB of memory. While the M2 chip is powerful, running both Illustrator and Photoshop on large files can push your system’s limits. Try closing other apps to free up memory, and consider increasing your MacBook’s virtual memory settings. If the problem persists, you might want to look into upgrading your RAM or optimizing your workflow to reduce the load on your system. Also, regularly saving your work can help prevent data loss during unexpected shutdowns.

@carolinasotiriou @Monika Gause is correct (8 GB of RAM is not sufficient)!

I teach design at a higher education 4 of my students were either using old MacBooks or PC. And I told them of the 'Back to School Special,' where they would get $200 off a new MacBook and a $200 Apple Gift card. One student took advantage as soon as the sale started and even bought one online while I ws teaching. That $200 giftcard? He sold that one $170, so that he had his cost would be $370 in the end. 

I did tell him that even at 16gigs of RAM with AI technology, it's always better to get more RAM than a bigger HD (one can get external HD for cheap). In the end, I believe he got the 24gigs of RAM. 

I did chatted with the Apple team while my students picked up their laptops at lunch (the Apple store was a block away from the school!). I was told that unified memory is a significant upgrade from the traditional RAM in older MacBooks. It combines system and graphics memory, improving performance in graphics-intensive tasks. The staff at Apple also said that given the rapid advancements in AI technology, it's recommended to invest in a MacBook with ample unified memory, especially if you plan to keep it for five years or more. For a shorter ownership period, 16GB or more should suffice.

*Note: I've been considering the M3 MacBook Pro Max (personal home/freelance use) with a 96GB RAM and 1TB storage configuration. Given my heavy workload in graphics and video editing, the powerful M3 processor and ample memory seem like a great fit for handling demanding rendering tasks. And I typically try and keep my gear at least 10 years or more. Now with the M4 coming out soon with TouchScreen and more AI-focus technology, I may wait a bit to see what that will be! 

Granted, my work has this the M3 MacBook Pro so, I know how fast the M3 Pros are, so Max would be screaming fast as well! 

FYI: Currently working on a MacBook Pro 15" (late 2013 Retina) - OMG 11 years old...but it has 16gigs of RAM, with an i7 processor. And I am able to run all four apps, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat Pro, a few web browsers open with either music streaming or a video playing. It's hard to think of getting a new MacBook Pro, when the old one seems just as great! Sometimes they old saying is, older is better! 

8 GB of RAM is not sufficient to do serious work in Illustrator. The recommended minimum is 16 GB (and even that would be at the rather low end)