Issues with placed ai files into InDesign

[Pembroke100]

I've just started noticing issues with illustrator ai files imported into InDesign. Mainly it is the disappearance of any drop shadows (embedded within the ai file), but I've also had text elements disappear as well (interestingly when those same elements are first converted to paths and the ai file resaved, they do show up and print via InDesign with no issues). 
A workaround is to save the ai file as a pdf, then reimport into InDesign. It then previews and prints correctly. I've also noticed pre-existing ai files already embedded in InDesign files do preview and print correctly.

I can export directly to print pdf from ai, again with no issue.

So it seems to be a function of importing ai files in this latest version of ID.

I'm running illustrator 25.2.1; InDesign 16.1 on Mac OS Big Sur 11.2.3.

Had anyone else recently had the same problem?

[Eugene Tyson]

What computer - is it the Mac M1?

[Pembroke100]

Mac Pro 2013 and also MacBook Pro M1... same issues in both

[BobLevine]

Double-check your PDF settings when saving the AI file. The only thing InDesign sees is the PDF portion so I would find it quite surprising that saving as PDF would give you a different result.

Make sure it's PDF/X-4.

[BobLevine]

BTW, I wouldn't categorize saving as PDF to be a workaround. It's actually the way many would recommend saving the file in Illustrator. Save it as PDF/X-4 with Illustrator editing enabled.

[rob day]

Can you share a problem .AI file via Dropbox or your CC account?