Adobe boosts AI video tools & unveils USD $10m fund

Adobe has announced new AI-related video features for Premiere and After Effects, alongside nearly USD $10 million in creator grants through its Film & TV Fund.

The company framed the product updates as post-production workflow changes for filmmakers and video teams. It also pointed to its presence at the Sundance Film Festival, saying 85% of films used Adobe products, based on a Sundance Institute survey.

Adobe said Premiere now connects with Firefly Boards, which it describes as an AI-powered ideation workspace. Adobe said the integration allows teams to explore concepts collaboratively. It said Firefly Boards can use AI models from Adobe and third parties including Google, OpenAI and Runway.

Premiere updates

Adobe listed new masking features in Premiere. It said the tools reduce the time required for some tasks, including rotoscoping.

Adobe said a new “Object Selection and Mask” feature changes how editors select and mask subjects. It said the feature speeds up tracking complex subjects. It also said the feature simplifies the workflow.

Adobe also described changes to shape masks in Premiere. It said redesigned ellipse, rectangle and pen masks offer more control when applying effects such as blurring faces and relighting parts of a frame.

The company also announced a new Adobe Stock panel inside Premiere. It said the integration allows users to browse, preview, license and import content without leaving the application. Adobe put the size of the catalogue at more than 52 million clips.

After Effects changes

Adobe also announced a major release for After Effects. The update includes changes to 3D features, typography and vector workflows, according to the company.

Adobe said After Effects now supports native 3D parametric meshes. It said users can design and customise 3D shapes using parametric meshes and combinable shapes. Adobe also listed new spot and parallel shadows.

The company also said it is adding more than 1,300 free Substance 3D materials. It said users can apply the materials to native and imported meshes. It also said materials have animatable properties.

Adobe also described updates to variable font animation in After Effects. It said additions to the Text Animator system include support for keyframes, expressions and additional controls for titles and templates.

For vector workflows, Adobe said After Effects includes a tool that imports SVGs as native shape layers. It said the tool preserves editable gradients and transparency from Illustrator.

Firefly and partners

Adobe positioned the Premiere integration as part of wider development in its Firefly product line. It described Firefly as an all-in-one creative AI studio. The company said Firefly offers AI models alongside tools for design, imaging, video, audio and motion work.

Adobe also referred to recent updates in Firefly. It cited “precision controls with prompt-based edits and camera-motion refinement”. It also referred to a public beta of a Firefly video editor that runs in a browser. The company described it as an assembly space for combining generative clips, footage, graphics and audio.

Adobe also reiterated its partnership with Runway. It said the arrangement spans multiple years. It said the partnership covers AI video models across Adobe workflows.

“We're thrilled to see so many filmmakers creating their stories with Adobe's industry leading tools,” said Deepa Subramaniam, Vice President of Product Marketing, Creative Professionals, Adobe.

Sundance usage

Adobe said Sundance Institute survey results show 85% of 2026 entrants used Adobe Creative Cloud applications. The company listed Premiere, Frame.io, After Effects, Photoshop and the Substance 3D Collection among the tools used.

Adobe also listed films it said were cut on Premiere and debuted at Sundance. The titles include “Chasing Summer,” “Wicker,” “The A.I. Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist,” “Union County,” “Zi,” “The Moment,” and “The Brittney Griner Story”.

Film and TV fund

Alongside the software updates, Adobe said it is committing USD $10 million in contributions and product donations in 2026 through the Adobe Film & TV Fund. The company said it has already committed USD $10 million since launching the fund in 2024. It said the three-year total reaches USD $20 million in contributions and donated product.

Adobe said the fund covers grants, professional video tools, career development, fellowships, apprenticeships and training. It said participants include people involved in programmes such as Gold House, Rideback RISE and Sundance Ignite.

Adobe also said it is introducing Ignite Day in partnership with Sundance Institute. It said the programme is aimed at emerging creatives aged 18 to 25. Adobe said Ignite Day includes hands-on learning, mentorship and “creative exchange”.

“The creative community inspires everything we do, and we're committed to advancing AI video tools with new innovations and investments for the next generation of storytellers,” said Subramaniam.