Adobe said Tuesday it is rolling out Quick Cut inside its Firefly video editor, a new AI-powered feature that automatically assembles uploaded footage into a structured timeline. The tool, available starting today, generates an initial “first cut” based on a creator’s text prompt, giving users a ready-made draft they can refine rather than starting from a blank timeline.
Quick Cut is designed to speed up post-production by handling the earliest, most time-consuming step: arranging clips into a coherent sequence. After uploading video or still images, creators describe what they want the project to focus on using natural language. Firefly’s AI then builds a narrative-first edit and allows users to adjust settings such as aspect ratio, pacing, duration, and whether to incorporate B-roll. A shot list or script can also guide the generation process.
Mike Polner, Adobe’s vice president and head of product marketing for creators, described the feature as a way to move quickly from raw footage to an editable draft. The goal, he said in a blog post, is to give creators a clear starting point they can shape and refine.
The update reflects Adobe’s broader effort to adapt Premiere-style editing tools for the AI era. Firefly’s video editor launched in October, and Adobe has been steadily layering in features. In December, the company introduced Prompt to Edit and camera motion reference tools, offering more control over AI-generated footage. Quick Cut continues that strategy by focusing on workflow efficiency rather than full automation.
The tool is aimed at videographers but has broader appeal. Product reviewers can turn long unboxing sessions into shorter social clips. Podcasters can extract key moments from extended recordings. Reporters can highlight important interview segments. Marketers can organize B-roll and event footage into a coherent draft before polishing.
Adobe is also tying the rollout to a promotional offer. New customers who sign up before March 16, 2026, can receive unlimited image and Firefly video generations up to 2K resolution under select plans, including Firefly Pro, Premium, and credit-based tiers ranging from 4,000 to 50,000 credits.
Rather than replacing editors, Quick Cut focuses on reducing the friction of early-stage assembly. By filling the timeline quickly, Adobe is betting that creators want AI to handle the structural groundwork so they can spend more time refining pacing, storytelling, and final polish. As AI features become standard across creative software, the competitive edge may come less from headline-grabbing generation and more from how smoothly these tools fit into everyday workflows.
This analysis is based on reporting from theaieconomy.
Image courtesy of Adobe.
This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy and quality.
