Software engineer Brandon Thomas has built AI-assisted replacements for Adobe Creative Cloud and Microsoft Office, releasing tools like PhotoCraft and WordCraft online after growing frustrated with commercial software.
Software Engineer Rebuilds Adobe and Microsoft Suites Using AI Tools
Thomas built the applications using Claude and the Rust programming language, according to Tom’s Hardware. His initial release targeted the Adobe Creative Suite, producing tools named PhotoCraft, FilmCraft, DesignCraft, EffectCraft, PdfCraft, VectorCraft, and LightCraft.
KDnuggets noted that GridCraft claims support for more than 500 spreadsheet functions and DeckCraft reports 79% feature breadth. Lifehacker reported that Thomas built the software ecosystem after getting frustrated by cancellation fees on commercial subscriptions. Thomas stated that AI allows developers to create clean-room, one-to-one functional equivalents that are cross-platform and highly performant.
Online forums debate code safety and piracy claims
The release drew mixed reactions and controversy across online developer forums. Tom’s Hardware reported that Thomas’s initial Reddit posts on r/creativecloud were removed by moderators due to concerns over AI-generated code, cybersecurity risks, and potential copyright violations. Critics on social media accused the project of piracy, while supporters defended it as a legitimate form of protest against Adobe’s subscription practices.
Additional safety concerns focus on the vast volume of code generated by a single developer. A 2026 State of Code Developer Survey by Sonar covering 1,100 professionals indicated that 96% of developers do not fully trust AI-generated code, according to Tom’s Hardware. Skeptics warn that reviewing hundreds of thousands of lines of code for malicious elements, privacy issues, and unsafe file handling presents a major verification challenge for open-source contributors.
Testers Compare AI Clones Directly Against Legacy Industry Standards
Early testers using the software noted striking similarities to commercial packages. Lifehacker reported that PhotoCraft replicates the panels, dialogs, keyboard shortcuts, and preferences screens of Adobe Photoshop almost wholesale, offering an immediate transition for basic tasks like cropping, color correction, and combining images.
Unlike traditional open-source alternatives such as GIMP, Inkscape, or LibreOffice, which maintain distinct interfaces and learning curves, Thomas’s software replicates familiar workflows directly. Tom’s Hardware noted that the applications also feature agent-native integration via a JSON control channel and an MCP server, allowing AI agents to execute creative tasks directly within the menus.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Open-Source Craft Suite
What programming language was used to build PhotoCraft and WordCraft?
The applications were written in the Rust programming language with assistance from AI coding tools, according to Tom’s Hardware and Mashable reports.
Why did the developer build these software clones?
According to Lifehacker, Thomas launched the project after being frustrated by commercial subscription cancellation fees, aiming to provide free, open-source equivalents to expensive legacy software.
Are the ArtCraft applications legally available to download?
The developer released the tools as free, open-source projects on GitHub, though commentators and legal observers cited by Tom’s Hardware have debated whether clean-room reimplementations face potential copyright challenges from Adobe and Microsoft.
What features do the Microsoft Office alternatives include?
According to KDnuggets, WordCraft reproduces the Microsoft Word ribbon and document-editing workflow with roughly 62% real-world feature parity, while GridCraft includes support for over 500 spreadsheet functions.
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