October 14, 2026, 2:06 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
Using Photoshop without an Adobe subscription? An open-source project makes it possible and shows how AI could change professional software development. Under the name “ArtCraft,” several programs have emerged that closely resemble well-known Adobe applications. They are available for free and are said to have been developed without using the original code.
This includes PhotoCraft, FilmCraft, and LightCraft. They are apparently modeled after Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and Lightroom. The similarity goes far beyond the names. The user interfaces, in particular, strongly resemble the menus of Adobe programs. Users familiar with Photoshop should find it easy to navigate PhotoCraft.
AI aids in replication
The developers refer to it as a clean-room reimplementation. This involves independently recreating software without using its original source code. The development reportedly involved tools such as Claude by Anthropic and the Rust programming language. However, the programs do not yet offer a complete replacement for the Adobe originals. Certain features are missing, such as generative AI tools for image editing.
Microsoft programs also targeted
Adobe software is apparently not the only target for these imitators. Other projects are modeled after Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. They are called WordCraft, DeckCraft, and GridCraft. Additionally, CADCraft is planned as an alternative to AutoCAD.
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This inevitably raises the question of how the original software manufacturers will react. A key factor will likely be whether any protected program code was actually used in the development.
Even now, ArtCraft shows the possibilities AI tools open up for developers. If complex applications can be replicated much more easily, the market for professional software could face significantly more competition in the future. Similar developments are occurring in the gaming industry, where savvy users use AI to merge entire game mechanics between different titles. However, this often falls into a legal gray area, raising questions about copyright infringement.