A US software engineer says he has used AI to build free versions of Adobe and Microsoft apps, raising questions over how far legacy software can be copied and sold.
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01Summary
- 01Brandon Thomas, an Atlanta-based software engineer, posted ArtCraft on Reddit and said it recreates parts of Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office.
- 02The Adobe-like tools are called PhotoCraft and PdfCraft, while the Microsoft-style apps are WordCraft, DeckCraft and GridCraft.
- 03Thomas said he used Anthropic’s Claude Opus 5.5 and Rust to reverse engineer Adobe’s creative suite and build the software from scratch.
- 04The Adobe package Thomas is challenging can cost individuals $779.99 a year if paid upfront, or $69.99 a month on an annual contract.
- 05The story says the apps are available worldwide and that legal questions remain over whether the work is a true clean-room replacement.
02Why it matters
If free AI-made substitutes catch on, major software firms such as Adobe and Microsoft could face pressure on pricing and profits. It also raises wider questions about copyright, software development and how quickly AI can remake digital tools.
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