Adobe executives say artists must embrace artificial intelligence or fall behind.

Adobe has decided to fully commit to generative artificial intelligence models and tools, even if this means discouraging creators who oppose this technology. Alexandru Costin, Vice President of Generative AI at Adobe, has stated that artists who do not incorporate AI into their work “will not succeed in this new world without using it.” In a recent interview, Costin commented that he is not aware of any plans to launch products that do not integrate generative AI for creators who prefer to perform tasks manually or oppose the changes that AI is causing in the creative industry.

Costin emphasized that there are previous versions of their products without generative AI, but he would not recommend them. According to him, Adobe's goal is to achieve the success of its clients, and for this, they believe that adopting this technology is essential. David Wadhwani, President of Digital Media at Adobe, stressed that the company is not willing to cater to creators who think differently. Wadhwani explained that they have always innovated firmly, stating that their approach is the one that will succeed in the short and long term, despite criticisms they have received for their integration of generative AI.

Adobe is facing a complicated situation; while many of its customers, especially businesses and large creative teams, demand AI features to enhance productivity, a significant number of artists reject the technology and fear its impact on their jobs. Ignoring this demand could cost Adobe its dominant position in the creative software market, as if it doesn’t develop these tools, other companies will, perhaps in a way that does not respect the work of artists.

There are also very critical online communities regarding AI, which avoid interacting with it. For example, a remake of the trailer for the film Princess Mononoke, created using AI, was briefly removed after receiving a strong negative reaction from fans of the original work, who felt the video was disrespectful.

Despite the controversy, generative AI features like those offered by Adobe's Firefly are the most adopted that the company has launched, according to Wadhwani. There are other competing AI models, some from larger companies like OpenAI and Google, as well as smaller startups looking to find a place in the sector. Adobe finds itself in a follow-up position, as its upcoming "Project Concept" includes collaborative tools similar to existing applications like FigJam and Superstudio.

The company aims to implement AI in a way that allows artists to spend more time being creative, eliminating tedious tasks like resizing or masking objects. Thus, it attempts to satisfy both sides by offering AI tools with specific purposes within its Creative Cloud applications, rather than presenting them as a means to replace traditional creative processes.

The demand for content is considered insatiable, and according to Wadhwani, human creativity will continue to be essential. If a person relies solely on AI, they will create content similar to many others. This could exacerbate the gap between independent artists and the broader creative industry, as the need for diverse types of content is rapidly growing.

A study by Adobe indicates that the demand for content has doubled between 2021 and 2023, and could grow by as much as 2000 percent by 2025, forcing companies to find new ways to increase production affordably. Generative AI tools are an attractive solution to meet such demands, although many still value traditional manual creative processes.

Adobe has also developed a generative AI model capable of producing video clips from textual descriptions, which could impact cinematographers, animators, and visual effects artists. Wadhwani believes there will still be a demand for artists who work manually, noting that despite technological advances, the appreciation for traditional artistic creation will endure.

It is evident that generative AI is transforming the creative landscape. Adobe argues that this technology will create new jobs, although those jobs will be different, and some specialized roles may disappear entirely. The existence of AI-generated art is undeniable today and is observable on platforms like Etsy, which were originally meant for handmade products but are now saturated with AI-created content, making it harder for artists to find visibility.

While Adobe is the leading provider of creative design software and offers a well-integrated ecosystem of products, the company faces significant challenges. If its support for AI causes enough discontent, it could open the door to new competitors looking to attract users that Adobe is leaving behind. Undoubtedly, Adobe believes that the opportunity presented by AI adopters is even greater.