“Software is over”: Bold AI developer takes aim at Adobe with open source clones

A developer is funding open-source Adobe clones, including Filmcraft, by selling access to the Artcraft AI model.

Ars Technica profiles a developer building free, open-source alternatives to Adobe applications after frustration with cancellation fees. Filmcraft is described as closely mimicking Adobe Premiere, and the creator claims to have reproduced Photoshop's functionality with AI coding tools. Development is to be funded by selling token access to the existing Artcraft visual AI model and IDE, alongside third-party models. The report notes possible legal exposure if the apps copy Adobe's trade dress too closely.

• Filmcraft mimics Adobe Premiere and is offered under MIT or Apache licenses.
• Token sales for the Artcraft visual AI model are meant to fund development.
• The creator claims AI-assisted clean-room equivalents of paid software, including Photoshop.
• Closely copying Adobe's interface could create trade-dress legal risk.