Adobe Gives Saudi Users Free AI Tools in $4 Billion Deal

Adobe said on August 31 it will provide twelve months of free access to its AI-powered tools for more than 27 million eligible Saudi citizens and residents, an expansion valued at over $4 billion.

The company plans to offer its Firefly Standard subscription tier and Adobe Express Premium features, including a new image generation model jointly developed with Humain, a Saudi government-backed AI firm. Adobe said the model is tuned to Saudi culture and can create images using Arabic-language prompts.

Free access will begin rolling out by the end of 2026. The move builds on a partnership announced in November between Adobe, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and Humain. The goal was to accelerate Humain's development of content generation tools for Arabic and the broader Middle East.

For Adobe, the expanded tie-up is a push for user growth in a crowded design software market where smaller firms have been gaining share. Adobe has been adding AI features to its creative tools, and the Saudi agreement gives it direct access to a large population while supporting the kingdom's ambitions to become a regional AI hub.