Is Adobe Really AI Training on Your Private Files?

Introduction

Last week, Adobe stirred up significant controversy when they updated their Creative Cloud terms of service, leading to intense backlash from users. The focal point of criticism was Section 42, which states that users grant Adobe a "non-exclusive worldwide royalty-free sublicensable license to reproduce, publicly display, distribute, modify, create derivative works based on, publicly perform, and translate the content."

Many individuals interpreted this as Adobe obtaining a license to utilize their creations purely by using Adobe software or saving work to the Creative Cloud. This perception raised alarms as it seemed that merely using products like Photoshop could give Adobe the right to include user-generated content in their future AI training datasets without explicit consent.

In response to the uproar, Scott Bsky, VP at Adobe, took to Twitter to clarify the situation. He explained that every cloud service requires a license solely for operational purposes. Acknowledging that their summary language lacked clarity, he provided a link to a blog post aimed at addressing the concerns raised by users.

Adobe's Clarifications

In the blog post, two key points were highlighted:

Adobe does not train Firefly generative AI models on customer content. Instead, Firefly models are trained on datasets composed of licensed content, such as Adobe Stock and public domain works.
Adobe will never assume ownership of customer work. Customers retain ownership of their content, and Adobe does not claim ownership over any work created by their users.

These clarifications are critical, particularly in the context of the existing skepticism surrounding Adobe, especially after the controversies tied to their previous practices involving the stock image program.

Historically, Adobe had retroactively altered the terms of service for their stock photo service to use contributor content for AI training. Photographers and designers had believed their work was sold for marketplace purposes, only to find out later that it was being repurposed for AI training without proper compensation. Such disillusionment led to feelings of betrayal among loyal contributors who had actively supported Adobe's ecosystem.

This recent backlash feeds into the broader narrative of distrust — a sentiment exacerbated by Adobe's prior actions, which has left creatives skeptical about the handling of their work.

Trust Issues

For many users, the primary issue revolves around trust. As Adobe’s previous changes led to significant sacrifices for their most devoted customers, the fear that Adobe could potentially exploit their private files for AI training persists. Even though the company insistently denies these claims, regaining trust is challenging when the history of their relationship with creatives has been marred with such contentious issues.

In the face of this growing concern, many individuals are left questioning if they can truly rely on Adobe to protect their creative work or if they should reconsider their options in a saturated market filled with alternative software solutions.

Keywords

Adobe, AI training, Creative Cloud, terms of service, user content, stock image program, trust issues, generative AI, ownership, privacy concerns.

FAQ

Q: What does Adobe's updated terms of service say about user content?
A: The updated terms state that users grant Adobe a non-exclusive license to use their content, which led to concerns about whether Adobe could use personal files for AI training.

Q: Has Adobe clarified their stance on AI training?
A: Yes, Adobe clarified that they do not train their Firefly generative AI models on customer content and that customers retain ownership of their work.

Q: Why is there distrust among creatives using Adobe products?
A: Distrust stems from past actions where Adobe retroactively changed terms of service related to their stock photo program, leading contributors to feel their work was exploited without consent or fair compensation.

Q: Can users opt-out of Adobe's data usage while using their software?
A: The terms of service imply users must agree to certain terms upon using Adobe products, but specific opt-out options related to data usage are not detailed in the terms.

Q: What should creatives consider when using Adobe products?
A: Creatives should weigh their options by analyzing Adobe's terms of service, considering alternative software, and being mindful of the potential implications for their intellectual property rights.