Adobe is fully committed to generative AI models and tools, even if that means rejecting developers who don't like the technology. Artists who refuse to use AI in their work “will not succeed in this new world without the use of AI,” says Alexandru Costin, vice president of generative AI at Adobe.
In an interview with The edgeCostin said he was “not aware of any plans” for Adobe to launch products that do not include generative AI for creatives who prefer to complete tasks manually or oppose how AI is changing the creative industry.
“We have older versions of our products that do not use genetic AI, but I would not recommend their use,” Costin said. “Our goal is to make our customers successful, and we believe that in order for them to be successful, they must embrace technology.”
And according to David Wadhwani, president of digital media at Adobe, the company is unlikely to accommodate dissent.
“We have always innovated with conviction, and we believe in the conviction of what we do here,” Wadhwani said, acknowledging that some creatives have been vocal in their criticism of Adobe’s adoption of generative AI technology. “Either people will agree with that belief or not, but we believe our approach is one that is frankly successful in the short term, but certainly successful in the long term.”
Adobe is in a tough spot — while many of its customers, particularly enterprises and large creative teams, are hungry for AI features that can boost productivity, many artists openly loathe the technology and fear it will impact their livelihoods. However, given the demand that already exists, Adobe would risk its dominant position in the creative software market if it ignored the wishes of many customers. If Adobe doesn't develop these tools, other companies will, and they may not make the effort to do so in a way that respects artists' work.
There are also online communities that have an extreme hatred of AI, regardless of how it is used, and will go out of their way to condemn it and avoid interacting with it. For example, if a “shot for shot” remake of the Princess Mononoke Although the film trailer made with Kling recently went viral, it was briefly taken offline by its creator after fans of the original Hayao Miyazaki classic reacted strongly, finding the video disrespectful or downright ugly.
But generative AI capabilities like those powered by Adobe's Firefly models are the most adopted products Adobe has ever released, according to Wadhwani, which is the only signal the company needs to continue on the same path. There are many generative AI models already competing with Adobe's Firefly lineup, both from large companies like OpenAI and Google and from smaller niche startups trying to carve out their own space in the industry. And in many cases, Adobe is the one that has to catch up. The upcoming collaborative canvas “Project Concept,” which also includes text-to-image tools and an AI remixing feature, is similar to existing apps such as Figma’s FigJam and Kaiber’s Superstudio.
Adobe's goal is to implement AI in a way that gives artists more time to focus on actual creativity rather than replacing it entirely, such as making tools more efficient and eliminating tedious tasks like resizing or masking objects. The company is essentially trying to appeal to both sides by giving its AI tools within its Creative Cloud applications very specific purposes, rather than selling them as tools intended to replace every aspect of content creation.
“If you just rely on AI to do all of these things, you’re going to end up with a lot more content that looks like the same content that everyone else is creating.”
“We believe the demand for content is insatiable. We also believe human creativity will be a crucial part of this,” Wadhwani said. “If you just rely on AI to do all of these things, you’re going to end up with a lot more content that looks like the same content that everyone else is creating.”
What we are likely to see is a greater divide between smaller artists and the broader creative industry. Demand for virtually every type of content, from images and advertising copy to television shows and other media we consume, is growing rapidly. According to an Adobe survey, consumption doubled between 2021 and 2023 and could rise to 2,000 percent by 2025, forcing companies to find new ways to increase production cost-effectively.
Generative AI tools – many of which promise to automate repetitive or technically demanding tasks – are an extremely attractive solution to meet these needs. But many people still value the work that goes into manual creative processes, and I don't think that will completely disappear.
“I think there will be a need for artists who make things by hand,” Wadhwani said. “In the last decade, I can take a picture and put it through a process that makes it look like a painting, but I won't appreciate that 'painting' in the same way as an artist who actually took the time to make it a real painting.”
However, there is little doubt that generative AI is changing the creative landscape. Adobe says the technology will create new jobs, but those jobs will be different and some specialized roles may disappear entirely. It's also just hard to avoid AI art in general these days – platforms like Etsy, which were created for artists to sell handmade goods, are now flooded with it, and it's harder for artists to find exposure online because they having to compete with AI content farms.
Adobe is the leading provider of creative design software and few other companies offer a similarly connected product ecosystem. This makes it difficult for customers to simply walk away if they don't agree with the direction they're taking, even if they do Is I try to be considerate of how generative AI is implemented. But if AI advocacy generates enough excitement, it could clear the way for new competitors to appease the users Adobe is leaving behind.
And if the backlash from online creators is any indication, Adobe is at risk of losing this sizable market. Apparently Adobe simply believes that the opportunities presented by AI users are even greater.