Generative AI and large language models have taken the world by storm. ChatGPT and other tools have started a revolution in many sectors. Businesses everywhere have pressing questions about how these platforms will impact operations—and how to harness generative tools for better outcomes. Even enterprise-level software developers like Adobe have AI integrated into major products. This includes the company's Acrobat PDF editing software.

Recently, a controversy occurred when some researchers and systems administrators raised red flags about the inclusion of AI into Adobe Acrobat. Breaking down this story is an easy way to explore generative AI's potential and risks. As this technology matures and its adoption expands, more businesses may face these issues. Here's what happened.

What Concerned Security Researchers About Adobe AI?

Noted security journalist Brian Krebs was one of the first to raise a red flag in public about changes to Adobe Acrobat. On social media, Krebs shared an image of an email from Adobe discussing the addition of its new AI Assistant into Acrobat. According to the message, users would start seeing the new feature over several months. Adobe noted that individuals could disable the feature, and organizations could choose to disable it across all their licenses.

Krebs and others soon pointed out this feature would be enabled by default. This led to immediate concerns about document security and regulatory compliance should the AI scan a PDF automatically. A discussion among system administrators on Reddit revealed deep concerns and unclear answers from Adobe on the tool's functionality.

For a generative AI tool to be able to respond to prompts about a document, it would need to ingest and analyze its data. This usually requires transmitting information to a server via the internet. If Adobe's AI were indeed scanning documents automatically and by default each time they were opened, there would be immense security risks.

Confidential documents might leave an organization's control. Businesses might inadvertently violate laws such as HIPAA or the GDPR. Such concerns were compounded by reported difficulties in removing or disabling the feature.

What Adobe Said About Their Features

In response to the controversy around the feature, Adobe issued clarifying statements to the media. The company stated that the only thing enabled by default was the tool's availability. Adobe says that there is no document scanning that takes place automatically. Only when a user engages the AI tool and issues a prompt does the LLM analyze the contents of the PDF. A media outlet conducted tests on a Windows device and reported not encountering automatic scanning.

Where Things Stand Now

Adobe's claims may have restated some concerns, but many other users remain wary of automatically enabling the AI feature. There could still be serious risks to private information or confidential business documents. A user might activate the feature without a clear sense of the potential danger it creates for an organization. Managing a large group of users across a business could mean process gaps where unauthorized or unwise usage of AI may occur.

Many users reported dissatisfaction with the rollout of the service. Some posters on Reddit drew attention to the challenges their organizations faced in removing the feature as a security precaution. While it seems no automatic scanning takes place, the rollout could have featured better communication.

Generative AI does have a place in working with PDFs. Very large and complex documents can require hours to understand. Locating key information may be difficult. With an LLM, issuing queries about document content is simple. One might ask an AI to summarize key points or highlight all the instances of a particular data point. These tools can be immense time-savers when used appropriately. The key is both clear communication with enterprise users and an opt-in approach that helps mitigate the risk of transmitting controlled data.

Tungsten Power PDF Offers Secure Solutions

In Power PDF, there aren't potential security risks enabled by default in the settings. With Tungsten's focus on providing businesses with the tools necessary to embrace the future of work, companies can access a way to edit PDF files more aligned with their needs. A more user-centric and business-friendly approach to development delivers peace of mind.

Power PDF will soon receive an upgrade that includes generative AI tools. With these solutions' potential to streamline some aspects of work, the value to end users is clear. However, Tungsten remains committed to rigorous compliance protocols and in-depth security. Businesses will be able to manage the availability of this function easily, rather than enabling it as default, as with Adobe AI. Find out more about how Power PDF could fit into your organization today.