AI
Adobe Tests Whether Free AI Can Compound Paid Revenue
Adobe said its freemium creator products passed 100 million monthly active users last quarter, up more than 70% year over year. Firefly's recurring revenue run rate rose 40% sequentially, and fiscal third-quarter revenue reached $6.76 billion, prompting the company to lift its full-year revenue and earnings outlook.
The useful angle is Adobe's willingness to treat free usage as strategic inventory. Generative AI has made creative software easier to sample and harder to price cleanly. Adobe is betting that usage density, product habit and enterprise pull-through can defend the franchise while leadership prepares for a CEO transition.
Source: CFO Dive · September 11, 2026