Software is over: Bold AI developer takes aim at Adobe with open source clones
Summary
The Ars Technica piece reports on Artcraft, an AI-driven open source effort that recreates the user interfaces and tools of Adobe’s Creative Suite across seven apps. Developer Brandon Thomas uses AI to create clean-room replacements in Rust with WebAssembly for browser use, aiming for feature parity and sustainable funding via token-based access to the Artcraft model. The story notes potential legal risks around trade dress and emphasizes a broader trend of reverse-engineering software with AI to offer free, open alternatives.