Adobe faces an AI-era test of whether the creative economy still needs it

Adobe faces an AI-era test of whether the creative economy still needs it

Source: Fortune

Summary

Adobe is facing pressure to adapt to the AI era without losing the trust of its enterprise customers and creative professionals. Anil Chakravarthy, who leads Adobe’s customer experience business, says the company must move at two speeds: quickly to keep up with AI, and slowly to maintain reliability. Adobe’s stock has fallen despite record revenue, as investors worry about the impact of AI on demand for traditional software. Chakravarthy believes the company’s value lies in helping customers personalize content at scale without sacrificing quality.


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Adobe is trying to balance the need for speed with the need for trust. Chakravarthy says the company must move at two speeds to avoid “whiplash” and maintain reliability. The tension between speed and trust is growing as Adobe navigates the AI shift. The company’s future depends on preserving its creative DNA while doubling down on enterprise discipline. Chakravarthy sees the current moment as a genuine platform shift, but one that poses a destabilizing question for incumbents. Adobe’s value lies in helping customers personalize content at scale without sacrificing quality.

Chakravarthy’s bet is that originality, identity, and taste matter more when everyone can make content quickly and cheaply.


Author: Evan Null