Over the past few weeks,Adobe After sparking strong criticism from users for updating its terms of service, the company announced on Tuesday that it would not use user content stored locally or in the cloud to train AI Models.
The updated terms add several new subcategories to the section on Adobe’s access to user content, one of which is specifically for generative AI. The terms clearly state:Adobe's software "does not use your local or cloud content to train generative AI models". There is one exception, however:If you submit your work to the Adobe Stock marketplace, the company can use it to train an AI tool called Adobe Firefly.
Adobe Chief Strategy Officer Scott Belsky said that the update to the terms of service did not actually change the existing policy, but it was not clearly stated before, which led to misunderstanding. "We now clearly state that we will not use your content to train generative AI models," Belsky said in an interview. "This has always been the company's existing policy, but it was not clearly stated before."
The new terms also respond to user concerns about Adobe scanning content protected by a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), emphasizing that the company does not "scan or view" local works stored on user devices. Adobe will only automatically scan content uploaded to the cloud to "ensure that we are not hosting illegal or abusive content, such as child sexual abuse materials." Manual review will only be performed if the work is marked or reported as illegal, or if you choose to join a pre-release, beta, or Adobe product improvement program.
Earlier this month, Adobe caused an uproar after changing its terms of service, with users believing that the company could use their work at will. AI TrainingThe discontent stems from creators’ long-standing dissatisfaction with Adobe’s dominance in the creative industries. Even the federal government has taken notice of user complaints, and the Justice Department is suing Adobe, accusing it of hiding expensive cancellation fees and setting up numerous barriers to prevent users from canceling their subscriptions.