Welcome! In today’s conversation, we’re examining the intersection of AI technology and its disruptive impact on traditional software companies, particularly in the creative industry. In light of multiple shifts in the market and software subscription models, it’s crucial to assess how these developments might influence both creators and consumers.
Yves here. I never imagined I’d find myself saying something positive about AI. However, as AI threatens to undermine the livelihoods of creatives and content providers who rely on selling intellectual property, it’s fascinating to witness how users of AI are now pushing back against the exploitative practices of software vendors. These companies, which have increasingly shifted from selling software licenses to implementing ongoing toll-like “licenses,” are facing their own consequences. It’s essential to recognize that the distinctions between various levels of exploitation are indeed significant. The book author earning royalties or a podcaster with subscribers does not belong in the same category as the tech giants whose monopolistic practices are hard to contest under current anti-trust laws.
Many of my regular readers might remember my frustrating experience with Microsoft when I tried to buy a license. They still claim to offer them, but they’ve made the process cumbersome. So, I can’t help but derive some pleasure from witnessing major backers of predatory AI ventures stumble into their own traps.
Please share this post widely. The idea of tech leaders damaging their own business models is one potential catalyst for them to reconsider their aggressive AI strategies.
Adobe Systems headquarters in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
The impact of AI is undeniable: it threatens jobs, disrupts economies, and potentially exacerbates wealth inequality while impeding our interactions with cost-cutting corporations and government entities. In short, it poses a risk to the overall happiness of society.
However, there’s an unexpected silver lining that individuals like Altman and Zuckerberg may have overlooked: AI consumes whatever data it’s provided, irrespective of its source. Currently, AI is also targeting Adobe, and this is just the beginning.
Adobe’s Predatory Model
Like many large software companies today, Adobe’s products operate on a subscription model. Users don’t truly buy these products; they rent them. Referring to it as a subscription is misleading. Subscriptions are akin to magazine payments or car purchases; Adobe’s model feels more like tolling—plain and simple. It’s an exploitative practice.
For instance, Adobe Photoshop is available for $22.99 a month through a standalone subscription, or $19.99 as part of a Photography plan that includes Lightroom and 1 TB of cloud storage. There’s even a “Creative Cloud” plan, which comes at a premium price of $70 monthly before discounts.
Adobe Photoshop 2026 pricing options
The last version of Photoshop that users could fully own—meaning a one-time payment for perpetual use—was released in 2012. The final version of Acrobat you could own was released in 2020, and it reached its end-of-life last year.
We’ve discussed this transition from purchase to rental in previous articles, including “The Licensing Revolution: Is Resistance Futile?” and “The Licensing Revolution: Windows Edition.” This exemplifies a way the wealthy continue to enrich themselves—a theme of our era.
AI the Disruptor
Now, here comes AI as a disruptor. AI empowers Adobe and similar firms to enhance and update their products much faster than relying solely on human labor. For them, AI is akin to a goldmine—cash in the bank.
But there’s a downside for Adobe; AI can also serve as a threat. A software engineer named Brandon Thomas has successfully replicated Adobe’s Creative Suite, not by copying code but by creating an entirely new version using AI to facilitate nearly all components of the development. He began his project on September 30 and released the first version just a week later, making it free for all users.
ArsTechnica describes this development succinctly:
“Software is over”: Bold AI developer takes aim at Adobe with open source clones
Opus-built Creative Cloud alternatives are ambitious, free, and nowhere near finished.
Many have long sought alternatives to Adobe’s costly Creative Suite, opting for a range of free and/or open-source options. Now, one developer is effectively reverse-engineering Adobe’s software using AI, aiming for an interface and functionality that mirrors Adobe’s offerings.
ArtCraft began last year as a “controllable AI for artists,” offering precise post-generation editing capabilities for AI-generated content. Recently, the project pivoted to launch a suite of seven open-source applications designed to replicate the user experience and tools of Adobe’s Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, Lightroom, After Effects, InDesign, and Acrobat Pro.
In a Reddit announcement, Brandon Thomas detailed his use of Anthropic’s Claude Opus 5.5 to create “clean-room replacements” for Adobe’s proprietary software in Rust, with browser-compatible WebAssembly versions as well. While some users have noted the current limitations of the new software, Thomas expresses optimism that the present “super early alpha” version will evolve into something as functional as Adobe’s offerings.
“We aim for 100% [feature] parity within a month,” Thomas claimed on Reddit, promising rapid updates thanks to community feedback. Shortly thereafter, he updated his timeline on Hacker News, suggesting that while achieving 99% parity may take longer, it would still be a matter of months rather than years.
Your key takeaway: Every proprietary software product can potentially be cloned using AI and distributed for free. This includes everything from Windows 11 or 12 to TurboTax and beyond. If it operates offline, it can be created and utilized at no cost.
This marks a significant revolution. Thomas’s team has already added Windows products to their replicated offerings (as shown below). Brace for further developments.
‘Break Things and Move On’
The era when the powerful remain unaffected by the “break things and move on” mentality is over. To quote ArsTechnica again: “Software is over,” which marks an appropriate conclusion for the predatory corporations that believed they could continue profiting at the expense of the masses. Now, with the help of AI, the masses can push back.
This is undoubtedly a revolt. With one individual demonstrating success, many will likely follow suit. The very tools that software developers unleashed upon the world are now weaponized against their creators. You might want to grab some popcorn; this is just the beginning.
For more context, check out this video: “Adobe Charged Him to Cancel. So He Rebuilt Adobe.” It covers a lot of insightful points.
Download Crafting Apps
The software released by Brandon Thomas and his team currently includes 13 products: eight from Adobe, three from Microsoft, and one each from Autodesk and Figma.
Note on naming: As of now, ArtCraft serves as both the team name and the title of a distinct product called ArtCraft, an AI studio app that isn’t a clone. This can be a bit confusing, so follow the links provided to ensure you find what you’re looking for.
If You Want to Install Them All
For one-click installation of all Crafting App projects, download the appropriate Launcher for your operating system. Below are the main Windows installers:
To view all current builds—across Windows, Mac, and Linux—click here, scroll to the Assets section, and select your version. They’re sorted by OS: Linux, MacOS, Windows.
If You Want to Install Just One App
Each Crafting App can be installed individually, as each has its own installers for Windows, MacOS, and Linux. Simply choose the app you need by clicking the link below.
If you try any of these apps, I’d love to hear about your experience. I plan on using them myself.
