Adobe is expanding its partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and government backed AI company HUMAIN, offering more than 27 million eligible citizens and residents free access to its AI powered creative tools for 12 months.
Adobe said on Monday that the initiative will provide eligible users with access to its Firefly Standard subscription tier and premium features of Adobe Express. The company said the commitment is valued at more than $4 billion.
The free access is expected to begin rolling out by the end of 2026. A key part of the expanded partnership is a new image generation model being jointly developed by Adobe and HUMAIN. The model is designed to generate imagery that reflects Saudi cultural context and will support prompts in Arabic.
HUMAIN is backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and is developing AI infrastructure, models and applications as part of the kingdom’s broader effort to establish itself as a major global AI hub.
Adobe said the partnership is intended to expand access to AI-powered creative tools while making them more relevant to Saudi users.
The company is also introducing Modern Standard Arabic right-to-left language support for Adobe Express on desktop, web and iOS, including Arabic typography, text editing and user-interface controls. Adobe said the platform will also feature templates designed around Saudi cultural themes.
Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen said the partnership would combine Adobe’s creative technology with HUMAIN’s regional expertise to help Saudi individuals, businesses and students use AI-powered tools.
HUMAIN CEO Tareq Amin said the collaboration was intended to make AI more sensitive to the cultural context in which it operates.
The agreement gives Adobe a significant opportunity to expand the user base for its AI products at a time when competition in generative AI and creative software is intensifying.
Reuters reported that Adobe sees the partnership as an opportunity to drive growth in its AI offerings, with smaller competitors increasingly competing for users in the design software market.
The initiative also gives Adobe an opportunity to develop AI products specifically adapted to Arabic-language users and regional creative requirements.
For Saudi Arabia, the partnership supports the country's broader push to develop domestic AI capabilities, expand digital skills and build a technology driven economy.
Adobe also said it plans to provide selected Saudi startups and early stage entrepreneurs participating in programs supported by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology with free access to selected creative tools, training and expertise beginning in 2027.
With more than 27 million people potentially gaining access to Adobe's AI tools, the initiative represents one of the company's largest efforts to expand consumer access to its generative-AI ecosystem while strengthening its position in the rapidly developing Middle Eastern AI market.
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