Scott Belsky, Adobe’s Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President of Design & Emerging Products, believes artificial intelligence (AI) is redefining business operations and fueling creativity. With extensive experience spanning entrepreneurship, advisory roles, and leadership at Adobe, Belsky has observed AI’s transformative impact firsthand. At Adobe, he oversees the development of cutting-edge technologies, including 3D and immersive experiences, AI-driven innovations like Project Concept, and the evolution of Adobe Stock in the AI era. By leading the Strategy & Corporate Development Group, Belsky is helping Adobe navigate new technological frontiers.
According to Belsky, AI is breaking down traditional silos between business functions like finance, marketing, HR, legal, and creative departments. This shift empowers stakeholders who previously lacked access to high-end tools to leverage AI-powered efficiency and creativity. For instance, marketers can now create campaigns in real time, blurring the lines between strategy and content creation. Similarly, creatives can leverage AI to explore hundreds of design possibilities, enabling more strategic decision-making. Belsky emphasizes that AI tools are transitioning from the "prompt era," where they are primarily used for brainstorming, to the "controls era," where users can fine-tune outputs with precision.
One example of this evolution is Adobe’s generative AI platform, Firefly, which is built on a foundation of commercially safe data. Belsky classifies businesses into two groups in their approach to generative AI: pragmatists, who adopt AI cautiously due to regulatory or traditional constraints, and proactive organizations that embrace AI to optimize both product creation and internal processes. Adobe exemplifies the latter, integrating tools like Copilot, GitHub, and Firefly to enhance productivity and creativity.
Looking ahead to 2025, Belsky identifies three key trends for AI: 1. AI tools will increasingly remember user preferences, ensuring consistent brand elements and tones in content creation. 2. AI agents will revolutionize user interaction with software, democratizing advanced tools and boosting productivity across organizations. 3. Ethical innovation through foundational models like Firefly will drive transparency and trust, supported by initiatives like the Content Authenticity Initiative, which deters misuse by embedding provenance and edits within digital assets.
Belsky envisions AI as a “reasoning engine” that complements human judgment, assisting with tasks such as writing persuasive proposals or generating personalized recommendations. For CEOs, his message is clear: embrace innovation, challenge outdated practices, and adapt to leverage AI’s potential. Only through these efforts can organizations reimagine their operations and stay ahead of rapidly evolving technologies.
As AI matures, its capacity to break down barriers, enhance creativity, and reshape business strategies will define the future of work and innovation. For Belsky and Adobe, this marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter.
