Adobe Inc. has unveiled its latest artificial intelligence (AI) tools, designed to create and modify videos, as the software giant joins the growing list of tech companies vying for a slice of the booming AI market. The company revealed these new features during its annual product conference held in Miami on Monday.
One of the standout tools is integrated into Adobe’s popular video-editing software, Premiere, allowing users to extend video clips using generative AI. In addition, Adobe introduced online tools that enable users to generate videos from text prompts and existing images, expanding its creative offerings.
While OpenAI, Meta, and Google have already made waves with their own AI-powered video generators, Adobe is the first major software company to roll out this technology on a wide scale for customers. Although smaller startups like Runway AI have also released video-generation products, Adobe’s entry into the space is expected to significantly influence the industry.
Ely Greenfield, Adobe’s chief technology officer for digital media, pointed out that while competitors’ AI tools are impressive, many customers find them difficult to integrate into their existing workflows. “What we hear from our customers is that it’s all really cool, but they can’t use it,” Greenfield said, highlighting the gap Adobe is seeking to fill. Adobe’s new video models, he emphasized, are built for real-world applications and designed to seamlessly integrate into the company’s suite of creative tools.
Over the past year, Adobe has steadily enhanced its software with generative AI features, particularly in its flagship products like Photoshop and Illustrator. These tools, which allow users to create images and illustrations from text prompts, have already been used billions of times, according to the company.
What sets Adobe apart from many of its rivals, Greenfield noted, is its focus on making its AI models “commercially safe.” This means Adobe takes extra precautions with the data it uses to train its models and enforces strict moderation to prevent misuse. For example, Adobe blocks the generation of certain faces in videos, a safeguard intended to address privacy concerns. Other companies, by contrast, have faced criticism for indiscriminately scraping internet content to build their AI models.
Adobe’s video-generation models draw heavily from its extensive library of stock media, which is primarily used by marketers and creative agencies. In addition, the company taps into public domain or licensed content to train its models. Adobe has also offered to commission videos from its network of creative professionals for around $3 per minute, ensuring a steady supply of high-quality training material.
The rise of AI video tools has raised questions about Adobe’s position in the market, especially following OpenAI’s introduction of its video-generation model, Sora, earlier this year. Concerns about potential disruption caused Adobe’s stock to decline by 17% this year, as investors weigh the impact of emerging AI technologies on the company’s business model.
For now, Adobe isn’t charging users extra for its AI-powered features, which are included within the standard subscription plans. While each user is given a certain number of credits for AI-generated content, most subscription tiers are not yet enforcing these limits. However, the company has hinted that in the future, AI video tools may come at a higher cost than similar features for photo editing.
In addition to its AI video innovations, Adobe also announced improvements to other key products during the conference. This includes making 3D content easier to work with in Photoshop and ongoing efforts to develop AI models capable of generating 3D graphics.
As Adobe continues to push the boundaries of creative software with AI, the competition with tech giants like OpenAI, Meta, and Google is expected to intensify, shaping the future of content creation.
