At Adobe’s annual conference, MAX, which brought together individuals from various creative industries, a central topic of discussion was the role of generative artificial intelligence in assisting, rather than replacing, users in the creative process. While Adobe showcased new AI tools that garnered attention for their transformative potential, concerns were also raised about the challenges associated with generative AI technology.
Ely Greenfield, CTO of Digital Media at Adobe, drew parallels with the transformative impact of technologies like the iPhone, emphasizing that Gen AI would similarly have significant consequences, both positive and negative. He stated that society would need to grapple with how to appropriately adopt this technology.
Adobe has been actively integrating AI-related features into its core products, including Photoshop and Express. The company launched a generative AI tool called Firefly, allowing users to edit images via typed commands. During MAX, Adobe highlighted how Firefly would work with its Creative Cloud apps, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Premiere Pro.
Critics have raised concerns about the rising costs associated with running these Gen AI tools, and there are calls for regulation, a topic that has gained prominence in recent months.
Adobe’s Greenfield addressed the cost issue, explaining that running their AI models is less expensive than the large language models due to differences in architecture and scale. Adobe is actively investing in making the technology more efficient. Greenfield emphasized that it’s not just about cost; speed and cost are interconnected, and they are finding ways to enhance efficiency while maintaining costs.
Adobe is exploring a hybrid model that runs these models partially on users’ devices and partially in the cloud to reduce costs. Greenfield noted that many customers and creative professionals use powerful machines, and Adobe aims to provide them with more cost-effective ways to use AI technology.
He concluded by mentioning that while these technologies are still in their early days, they offer quick returns, and the costs are decreasing rapidly.
