Understanding Adobe’s Controversial Move: What does it mean for designers?
Imagine this: you’ve spent years mastering design or photography, investing time, money, and endless creativity into perfecting your craft.
Now, a tech giant you’ve been a customer of for decades suggests that a photo shoot — your bread and butter — can be replaced with a few clicks. That’s the heart of a recent uproar among photographers, which started with Adobe’s promotion of their new Photoshop feature.
In a move that likely felt like a gut punch to many photographers, Adobe’s website advertised their “generate background” feature with the phrase “Skip the photo shoot.” Ouch!
And this isn't the only controversy Adobe has faced lately. The company recently updated its terms of service, causing a stir by suggesting user content could be accessed for AI training. Adobe quickly clarified that their AI only uses licensed or public domain data, but it still raised questions about trust and how the company handles user data.
Naturally, all this sparked a wave of angry reactions. Designers and photographers voiced their frustration, feeling betrayed by a company that’s been essential to their work. Adobe quickly reacted, but the damage was already done.
At first glance, it might seem that Adobe’s slip-up was just a matter of poor phrasing. But there’s more beneath the surface. The incident also exposes a fundamental tension between creatives and tech companies, highlighting how AI-driven disintermediation could reshape our roles.
Hmm, disinter... what?
From Intermediaries to Direct Access
The term "disintermediation" might sound like something out of a sci-fi novel, but it’s a key concept in business. It refers to removing intermediaries and allowing producers to connect directly with consumers.
While disintermediation is celebrated for increasing efficiency and reducing costs (and often rightly so!), it can also disrupt traditional industries.
For example, by suggesting that users can “skip the photo shoot,” Adobe hints at a future where traditional photography processes could be bypassed. This isn’t just a feature update, it’s disintermediation in action.
In the recent past, different professions and businesses faced similar forces. Here are three striking examples:
Travel Agencies vs. Online Booking: Remember when booking a flight required a trip to the travel agency? (Yes, we’re that old.) The rise of online booking platforms like Expedia and Airbnb has killed off many traditional travel agents, giving consumers direct access to a range of travel options.
Auto Disruptors vs. Dealerships: Companies like Tesla have bypassed traditional dealership models by selling directly to consumers online. This approach has not only increased Tesla’s gross profit margins by about 34% but also allowed the company to control more of the customer experience. Following Tesla’s success, other brands like Audi and General Motors have also begun exploring direct sales models.
Publishing vs. Self-Publishing: Platforms like Kindle Direct Publishing have empowered authors to work around traditional publishers, offering direct access to readers. In fact, a third of all e-books are self-published today, and this trend is only set to accelerate. I guess we went from “Dear publisher” to “Publish now”.
How is Disintermediation Relevant to Designers
Now, let’s bring this concept back to our work. In the world of design, disintermediation is a potential risk but also an opportunity to redefine how we deliver value. It challenges us to innovate and discover new ways for growth. To make the most of it, two key strategies stand out:
Talk to People: When we’re diving into disintermediation projects, it’s essential to conduct thorough interviews with everyone in the value chain. Understanding the perspectives and needs of producers all the way to consumers will help us design solutions that address real pain points and create value across the board.
Reflect on Our Role: As designers, we have often led the way in disintermediating industries. We’ve helped streamline processes and cut out traditional middlemen. The current wave of change is a good reminder to take a step back and consider the broader implications of our innovations. How can we shape a future that balances efficiency with the value of human creativity?
So, what’s the bigger story behind Adobe’s recent actions?
For us designers, it's a nudge to rethink our methods when we are curing out intermediaries in various industries. And at the same time, let’s be aware that AI tools are here and will affect our work. Let’s embrace these new tools, and use AI to boost our impact while keeping the creative spirit alive.