Developer builds free Adobe alternative using AI coding
Brandon Thomas created Artcraft, an open-source suite of tools comparable to Adobe products, motivated by frustration with subscription practices. The project highlights a broader trend of AI enabling the replication of established proprietary software.
Developer Brandon Thomas has created Artcraft, an open-source and free alternative to Adobe's software suite. The project includes tools comparable to PowerPoint and Premiere Pro. Thomas stated that frustration with Adobe's subscription and cancellation practices motivated him to rebuild the software using AI. The resulting tools closely resemble Adobe products and are available for free. This development is part of a broader trend where AI enables the cloning of established software, with similar open-source clones of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel already existing. While these clones may lack the stability and update frequency of the originals, they represent a shift toward the democratization of high-tech software through AI-assisted coding. The project suggests that AI is enabling the socialization of existing proprietary software by allowing individuals to replicate complex tools, offering a path to software independence.