Adobe to Launch Generative AI Video Creation Tool Later this Year

Adobe logo is seen on smartphone in this illustration taken June 13, 2022. (Reuters)
Adobe logo is seen on smartphone in this illustration taken June 13, 2022. (Reuters)
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Adobe to Launch Generative AI Video Creation Tool Later this Year

Adobe logo is seen on smartphone in this illustration taken June 13, 2022. (Reuters)
Adobe logo is seen on smartphone in this illustration taken June 13, 2022. (Reuters)

Adobe will unveil a new generative AI-powered video creation and editing tool in a limited release later this year, the software maker said on Wednesday, as it looks to beef up its suite of applications catering to creative professionals.

Dubbed Adobe Firefly Video Model, the artificial intelligence tool will be released in beta and will join the Photoshop maker's existing line of Firefly image-generating applications that allow users to produce still images, designs and vector graphics.

The model will establish Adobe in the growing market for AI-based video generation tools, a space already targeted by OpenAI's Sora, Stability AI's Stable Video Diffusion and other AI video apps from smaller startups, Reuters reported.

The tool can generate a five-second clip for a single prompt and can interpret both text and image prompts, said Alexandru Costin, vice president of generative AI at Adobe. Users can also specify the required camera angle, panning, motion and zoom.

"We've invested in making this model reach the level of quality and prompt understanding that videographers expect. We've invested in making sure we really pay attention to the prompt ... respecting guidance from videographers much better than other (AI video) models," Costin told Reuters in an interview.

Adobe said the video model is trained on public domain or licensed content that it has permission to use, and not on any Adobe customer content.

"We only train them on the Adobe Stock database of content that contains 400 million images, illustrations, and videos that are curated to not contain intellectual property, trademarks or recognizable characters," Costin said.

Adobe is also rolling out Generative Extend, a tool that will be available in its Premiere Pro video editing software, which can extend any existing clip by two seconds by generating an appropriate insert to fill gaps in the footage.

First previewed in April, the tool has seen "a huge positive reaction from all of our customers", Costin said.



China Approves First Two Level-3 Autonomous Driving Cars from State-owned Automakers

People pass by the entrance to Volkswagen (China) Technology Company, a 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion) R&D center in Hefei in eastern China's Anhui province, on Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ken Moritsugu)
People pass by the entrance to Volkswagen (China) Technology Company, a 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion) R&D center in Hefei in eastern China's Anhui province, on Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ken Moritsugu)
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China Approves First Two Level-3 Autonomous Driving Cars from State-owned Automakers

People pass by the entrance to Volkswagen (China) Technology Company, a 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion) R&D center in Hefei in eastern China's Anhui province, on Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ken Moritsugu)
People pass by the entrance to Volkswagen (China) Technology Company, a 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion) R&D center in Hefei in eastern China's Anhui province, on Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ken Moritsugu)

China's industry regulator on Monday approved two Chinese cars with level-3 autonomous driving capabilities, marking the first time such vehicles have been cleared by the national regulator as legitimate products ready for mass adoption.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology approved the two electric sedans from state-owned automakers Changan Auto and BAIC Motor in its latest automobile product entry category, said Reuters.

The two models are allowed to activate conditional autonomous driving in designated areas of Chongqing and Beijing with speed limits of 50km/h and 80km/h, respectively, the ministry said in a statement. The automakers will conduct trial operation with the cars on the specific roads via their ride-hailing units, it added.

The auto industry has defined five levels of autonomous driving, from cruise control at level one to fully self-driving cars at level five, and level three allows drivers to take their eyes and hands off the road in certain situations.

The move underscored China's ambition to lead the development and adoption of autonomous driving, a technology poised to disrupt the auto industry globally. Last year, China lined up nine automakers for public tests to advance the adoption of self-driving cars.

Chinese regulators earlier this year had sharpened scrutiny of the assisted driving technologies following an accident involving a Xiaomi SU7 sedan in March. That incident killed three occupants when their car crashed seconds after the driver took control from the assisted-driving system.

But government officials are pressing Chinese automakers to rapidly deploy even more advanced systems. In their level-3 push, Chinese regulators also are upping the regulatory ante by holding automakers and parts suppliers liable if their systems fail and cause an accident.

Autonomous driving developers such as Pony AI and WeRide have been testing their level-4 cars with licenses granted by local governments across China.

Tesla's Full Self-Driving, a level-2 driver assistance system, has been partially approved in China since February and falls short of its capabilities in the United States.


Elm Company Named Strategic Partner for International Data and AI Conference

Elm Company Named Strategic Partner for International Data and AI Conference
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Elm Company Named Strategic Partner for International Data and AI Conference

Elm Company Named Strategic Partner for International Data and AI Conference

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) announced a strategic partnership with Elm Company for the International Conference on Data and AI Capacity Building (ICAN 2026), enhancing collaboration to empower the data and artificial intelligence ecosystem and promote innovation in education and human capacity development.

This partnership comes as part of preparations for ICAN 2026, organized by SDAIA from January 28 to 29 at King Saud University in Riyadh, with the participation of a select group of specialists and experts from around the world, SPA reported.

The step represents a qualitative addition that contributes to enriching the conference’s knowledge content and expanding partnerships with leading national entities.

Elm Company brings extensive experience in designing digital solutions and building technical capabilities, reinforcing its role as a strategic partner in supporting the conference. It contributes by developing training tracks and digital empowerment programs, participating in the technology exhibition, and presenting qualitative initiatives that help empower national competencies in the fields of data and artificial intelligence.


Foxconn to Invest $510 Million in Kaohsiung Headquarters in Taiwan

Construction is scheduled to start in 2027, with completion targeted for 2033. Reuters
Construction is scheduled to start in 2027, with completion targeted for 2033. Reuters
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Foxconn to Invest $510 Million in Kaohsiung Headquarters in Taiwan

Construction is scheduled to start in 2027, with completion targeted for 2033. Reuters
Construction is scheduled to start in 2027, with completion targeted for 2033. Reuters

Foxconn, the world’s largest contract electronics maker, said on Friday it will invest T$15.9 billion ($509.94 million) to build its Kaohsiung headquarters in southern Taiwan.

That would include a mixed-use commercial and office building and a residential tower, it said. Construction is scheduled to start in 2027, with completion targeted for 2033.

Foxconn said the headquarters will serve as an important hub linking its operations across southern Taiwan, and once completed will house its smart-city team, software R&D teams, battery-cell R&D teams, EV technology development center and AI application software teams.

The Kaohsiung city government said Foxconn’s investments in the city have totaled T$25 billion ($801.8 million) over the past three years.