Adobe Will Pay People’s Legal Bills If Sued For Using AI

Adobe will defend users of their AI software, Firefly, from lawsuits.

By Chad Langen | Published

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Adobe firmly believes that its AI tool, Firefly, will steer clear of breaching copyright laws. As Futurism reports (per Fast Company), the software company’s confidence extends to the point of offering legal compensation for businesses should they face a lawsuit related to copyright infringement. This commitment should alleviate concerns for businesses considering the use of this AI-powered software.

Firefly is a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence expansion tool developed by Adobe. Leveraging advanced generative AI technologies, Firefly is designed to create and expand digital content while ensuring compliance with copyright laws. Its innovative capabilities make it a promising solution for businesses aiming to streamline content creation, and Adobe’s confidence in its adherence to copyright regulations certainly further enhances its appeal.

Adobe announced the deployment of Firefly to businesses on Thursday. During the Adobe Summit, the company is set to unveil an enhanced version of the AI tool, specifically designed for enterprise users. According to Claude Alexandre, Adobe’s VP of Digital Media, this enterprise version of Firefly offers “full indemnification for the content created” through its features.

The company is committed to fully compensating businesses if they encounter legal disputes resulting from the use of Firefly’s text-to-image feature, emphasizing their belief in its “commercial safety and readiness.” This commitment by Adobe is critical due to current legal ambiguities related to the use of generative AI tools and the content they generate. In a landscape where the legal aspects of artificial intelligence and copyright are still unclear, causing hesitation among companies, Adobe’s decision strives to provide some clarity.

Firefly is designed using stock images that Adobe already owns the rights to and openly licensed content such as Creative Commons images and public-domain content. Per Alexandre, the company has a history of indemnifying the use of its own products, particularly stock images, a practice that is now extended to its AI tool Firefly. While Alexandre refrained from commenting on whether those feeling their copyright was infringed by Firefly should sue Adobe instead of the Firefly user, he emphasized that their indemnification is a “guarantee against litigation, the consequences of litigation.”

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Among all of Adobe’s beta products, their Firefly tool has garnered the most significant user engagement. Since being introduced in March, around 200 million AI-generated images have been created using Firefly. This broad consumer adoption has led Adobe to roll out the well-received AI tool to its 12,000 enterprise clients.

Despite the popularity of Firefly, several Adobe Stock contributors have voiced worries about their inability to opt out of having their work used for training the AI-driven tool. An Adobe representative, Fu, has clarified that due to licensing agreements, contributors cannot opt-out as their images are allowed to be used for AI training. However, Adobe has assured that it intends to offer compensation to contributors once Firefly moves out of beta, though Fu did not disclose specific details about this compensation.

Adobe’s Firefly is a revolutionary tool in the AI domain and illustrates the company’s commitment to its users and contributors. Even as Adobe bridges the gap between technology and content creation, it’s reassuring to see that the company acknowledges the need for copyright compliance and respect for the creators’ work. As Firefly continues to evolve, it looks poised to become an essential tool for businesses.