What is the function of the Shape Builder Tool in Illustrator?

The Shape Builder Tool in Adobe Illustrator is designed specifically for combining, subtracting, and editing shapes in a dynamic and intuitive way. When you select the tool, you can interactively click and drag across overlapping areas of shapes to create new composite shapes from the selected ones. This allows users to easily merge shapes that touch each other or remove unwanted parts, which can greatly enhance the design process and help achieve complex shapes without the need for complex path operations.

By utilizing the Shape Builder Tool, designers gain more control over their creative process, as they can visually manipulate shapes and see immediate results. This interactive approach is what sets the Shape Builder Tool apart from other methods of shape manipulation in Illustrator, making it particularly useful for creating intricate illustrations or custom graphic designs.

The other options do not pertain directly to the capabilities of the Shape Builder Tool. Creating new brushes pertains to a different function, applying live effects involves adding effects without altering the original object, and managing layers deals with the organization of objects rather than the direct manipulation of shapes.