The "Limited time" in generative credits terms worry me, can someone clarify?

[Lanther13]

So i recently got Photography 1 year plan and i read alot about the credits. It's still unclear to me what our future is. I thought it was "Once you run out of credits, you can continue using Gen AI but at a slower speed", and then people say it doesn't even get slower (i have not run out yet but i have only been using it for 5 days). Then i just noticed all the times they say "Limited time" in all the terms about Generative Credits.. like in my Adobe account under credits it says:

"When you're running low on credits, continue generating content at no additional cost for a limited time. Learn More"

or

"For a limited time, Creative Cloud, Adobe Express, and Adobe Stock paid subscribers won't be subject to generative credit limits and can continue creating beyond their plan-specific monthly credit limit to create vector graphics or standard resolution images*."

Does that mean eventually they will start to just straight up CUT OFF generative functions COMPLETELY if you run out of credits, not even let you do it "slower"?

i just really need clarification on what's going on with credits. I don't mind "slower performance" if it means i can continue using Gen AI past my credits limit. But if one day it will change and all generative tools will be CUT OFF completely when you run out of credits, i would have to be a lot more frugal with my use of adobe products not to run out in the middle of a project and have to wait until next billing cycle to use it again.

Is adobe going to eventually cut off gen ai features when you run out of credits? I feel like it would be fair for it to be unlimited, but much slower as to not clog up servers for people WITH credits.

[jane-e]

Is adobe going to eventually cut off gen ai features when you run out of credits?

By @Lanther13

Adobe does not pre-announce. Anyone with inside knowledge would be enter NDA and not able to say. The volunteers on this forum do not work for Adobe and do not have inside knowledge.

Jane

[Lanther13]

Thank you for your reply! 

I wasn't asking for secret insider info, more like asking if anyone read anything official, maybe i missed something. 

So basically no one knows how it will work?

Thanks!

[jane-e]

You're welcome @Lanther13 . If anyone knows then they are under NDA and can't say. The rest of us have to wait for an official announcement, which has not been made yet.

You can watch this page: 
https://helpx.adobe.com/firefly/get-set-up/learn-the-basics/generative-credits-faq.html#used-all-my-...

Section 9 addresses your question.

9. What happens if I use all my generative credits?  

Generative credit counts reset each month based on the billing date of your plans. 

After the credit limits apply, if users reach their plan-specific generative credit limit during the month before they reset: 

• Creative Cloud and Adobe Stock paid users can keep taking generative AI actions but using generative AI features to create vector graphics or standard-resolution images* may be slower. 
• Adobe Express and Adobe Firefly paid users can take two generative AI actions to create vector graphics or standard resolution* images per day. 
• Free Creative Cloud, Adobe Firefly, and Adobe Express users can subscribe to a new paid plan to continue creating Firefly-powered assets. 

* Standard resolution imagery is up to 2000x2000 pixels. Usage rates may vary. Plans are subject to change.

Jane

[droopydog500 · Accepted solution]

Hello @Lanther13,

The only additional thing we know is that when the credit system was initially announced, there was reference to the ability to purchase additional credits. When it came close to the actual implementation date, that is when they said "for a limited time" you can continue to generated when credits have been exhausted, and here we are a year later and it is still a "limited time".  Except for the lowest tiers, which are cut off when credits are exhausted.

As @jane-e said, we do not know when the "limited time" will end.

My best,
    droopy

[bernard@]

it's february 04, 2025 and i've run out of credits! it's impossible for me to extend an image or make any modifications ... it used to be slow but it worked additional credits are too expensive

[droopydog500]

Hi bernard@, Which plan do you have?  The Firefly only plans will stop generations when credits run out.

    droopy

[bernard@]

droopydog500 bonjour en fait c'est reparti je n'est que photoshop

[droopydog500]

Hi bernard@,

Are you saying you have "Individual Creative Cloud Single App - Photoshop"? Or, which specific app on this page do you have: https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/plans.html?

    droopy

[bernard@]

 droopydog500   I have Creative Cloud Single App - Photoshop +LR

[droopydog500]

Hi bernard@,

Based on the GenAI guidance, you should be able to continue to generate. If you are sure you are logged into that account when generating, can you please post a screen shot of what you are seeing when it is not generating?

Thanks,

    droopy

[Conrad_C]

Some additional context…A big reason it says “a limited time” is because Adobe is trying to figure out exactly how they should be charging for credits. This is because generative AI features are new. So they don’t want to set a “permanent” credit policy and then find out it was too strict or too lenient. The more people hit their AI servers, the more they get a better idea of exactly what the typical usage patterns are going to be. Then they can tune the credit system to something they don’t have to change much later on.

They explained this early on when generative AI was first introduced, that how we’re charged for credits may change.

My personal assumption is that I shouldn’t think the current credit allocations and charge rates are set in stone. It is safer to assume they could change in either direction. I won’t be surprised if a few years from now, we get more credits or fewer credits per month, or if certain features will consume more credits or less credits than now. Based on what they decide is a fair balance between allowing reasonable usage and provisioing enough servers.

I feel like it would be fair for it to be unlimited, but much slower as to not clog up servers for people WITH credits.

By @Lanther13

My understanding (if it’s current) is that is already how it works. I thought that if you run out of credits, it doesn’t mean you can’t generate, but you’ll be sort of “deprioritized” so that other jobs go first. In other words, I thought it was like with mobile phone plans that throttle if the monthly data limit is exceeded: You can still use it, it just won’t be as fast.

Anyone know if that’s changed?

[bernard@]

hello fortunately that other "I A" and online software offer free images.. Adobe is becoming expensive and very restrictive dominant position of this software publisher

[Viklon]

The next step is Tool usage credits or Filter usage credits

[davescm]

@Viklon You have re-opened an old thread to post information based on your conjecture, not facts. 

Just for clarity, as some of the facts have changed since this thread in Jan/Feb.

This page shows the number of credits in each plan and also what happens now when credits run out i.e. without credits you cannot use generative AI

https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/firefly/get-set-up/learn-the-basics/generative-credits-faq.html#monthly-g...

Additional credits are available in a Firefly plan - note it states 'unlimited access to generative fill'

https://www.adobe.com/uk/products/firefly/plans.html?
 

Dave

[Conrad_C]

Tool and filter usage credits are probably not going to happen.

That’s because generative AI is different than other, simpler tools and filters. Generative AI needs a powerful back end cloud server to do the processing, because in many cases a typical desktop or laptop computer would not have the processing power or storage space to handle the models being used.

This is why other well-known generative AI services like ChatGPT and Midjourney also do not provide unlimited image generation; they charge a subscription for that too.

[bernard@]

250 ‘IA Generativ’ points for a basic subscription is really too little for the subscription price paid, and the points are dwindling fast.

[davescm]

bernard@ Which exact plan do you mean by 'basic subscription'.
The latest on included credits, in each plan type, is here :
https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/firefly/get-set-up/learn-the-basics/generative-credits-faq.html#monthly-g...

Dave

[bernard@]

bonjour davescm  photoshop /lightroom

[davescm]

Currently a 20GB Photography plan has 25 credits, or 100 if subscribed before June 17th 2025. the 1TB plan has 25 credits, or 500 if subscribed before June 17th 2025.

Dave

[bernard@]

thank you dave we must admit it's really too little