Adobe is creating AI models designed to protect intellectual property in the entertainment sector.
As the gaming industry increasingly integrates generative AI, Adobe is positioning its Firefly suite as a key player for studios looking to enhance their production capabilities. Coinciding with this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Adobe has revealed its collaboration with various studios, directors, and talent agencies to create “private, IP-safe” Firefly Foundry generative AI “omni-models.” These models aim to “accelerate creativity without compromising ownership or creative intent,” generating diverse assets such as audio-aware videos and 3D/vector graphics that can be smoothly incorporated into workflows using other Adobe tools like Premiere.
Unlike many existing models that rely on vast datasets scraped from the internet, Firefly Foundry models are tailored specifically for each client, trained exclusively on intellectual property that clients own. This approach mirrors the concept behind generative AI startups like Asteria, but Adobe’s extensive experience in developing creative products gives it a significant advantage in executing this vision.
Adobe emphasizes that Firefly Foundry models facilitate “responsible AI adoption across every stage of production,” from pre-visualization to final edits. The company is leveraging its long-standing reputation for creating essential tools in the entertainment sector to encourage customers to embrace this innovative technology.
In a discussion, Adobe’s vice president of generative AI new business ventures, Hannah Elsakr, shared that Firefly Foundry emerged from the company’s previous collaborations with major clients using Firefly’s earlier, less customizable models. Those earlier models struggled to generate assets beyond static images and lacked the nuanced understanding of clients’ intellectual property. This limitation stemmed from the fact that Adobe’s basic generative AI models were trained only on inputs for which it had secured rights. However, clients were looking for more advanced capabilities.
“Global companies like The Home Depot and Disney expressed the need for a creative environment that comprehended multiple products, characters, and the physics of their movements—both in video and 3D. That’s where Firefly Foundry comes into play,” Elsakr noted.
To promote Firefly Foundry, Adobe is already teaming up with talent agencies such as Creative Artists Agency, United Talent Agency, and William Morris Endeavor. The company is also collaborating with notable directors like David Ayer of Suicide Squad and Jaume Collet-Serra from Black Adam. Additionally, partnerships with production houses like B5 Studios, Promise Advanced Imagination, and Cantina Creative, along with educational institutions like Parsons School of Design and Whistling Woods International, aim to develop research and resources focused on AI’s role in creative fields.
Firefly Foundry appears to be a generative AI solution that large corporations may be eager to adopt, particularly to mitigate potential IP infringement risks associated with standard models. By focusing on equipping the next generation of creative professionals with these tools, Adobe is positioning itself as a frontrunner in the evolving landscape of AI technology.
