In 2018, Patrick Hebron was asked to assemble a team for a new Machine Intelligence Design initiative at Adobe. Operating like a research and development department, the group has expanded the realm of new potential interfaces and products as well as reconceived the typical workflow by which software evolves, forging a paradigm shift in the industry — and on the front end, a shift in the way creative people use digital tools.

The way I start some pitches at Adobe is to talk about what changed in architecture with the advent of computer-aided design, or in graphic design with the advent of Photoshop. The tools changed how people worked. It did lead to some shifts in the economy, but ultimately, these tools did not remove the need for architects or designers. They enabled people to operate at a larger conceptual scale. The longer trajectory of AI in all manners of work is likely that we will be able to scaffold our society more effectively. There’s plenty to worry about, but I think the trajectory bends in the right direction.