Adobe is updating its terms of service following a backlash over recent changes
What does Adobe's head of product, Scott Belsky, and VP of legal and policy, Dana Rao, claim about the use of customer content in training generative AI tools?
Adobe's head of product, Scott Belsky, and VP of legal and policy, Dana Rao, claim that customer content is not used to train any generative AI tools. They emphasized that customers own their content and that Adobe does not assume ownership of their work or train its AI on user data. The company faced backlash over changes in its terms of service, which led to updates and clarifications regarding AI and content ownership.
How did Adobe's subscribers interpret the original changes to the terms of service regarding the use of their content?
Adobe's subscribers interpreted the original changes to the terms of service as allowing the company to access, view, or listen to their content, including sensitive content such as information protected by non-disclosure agreements5. Users also believed that Adobe could use their work to train the company's generative AI models and potentially resell them. Additionally, there were concerns that Adobe could take ownership of users' copyrighted material. These interpretations led to a backlash and outrage among the creative community, with many considering canceling their Adobe subscriptions.
What specific updates is Adobe planning to make to its terms of service in response to the backlash?
Adobe is planning to make several updates to its terms of service in response to the backlash:
- Adding more detail around areas like AI and content ownership
- Clarifying that customers' content will never be used to train any generative AI tool
- Overhauling the terms of service using more plain language and examples to help customers understand what the clauses mean and why they are necessary
- Allowing users to opt out of its product improvement programs
- Narrowly tailoring licenses to the activities required
- Emphasizing that Adobe only scans data on the cloud and never looks at locally stored content
Additionally, Adobe will be listening to customer feedback around the new changes.