"We think of ourselves as a photography company…we never had any disposition to reinvent ourselves as an AI company," says Capture One CEO

Capture One CEO Rafael Orta explains that AI is changing the field of photography rapidly, but the company remains focused on its core mission of serving photographers. Orta emphasizes that Capture One identifies as a photography company, not an AI company, even as they integrate AI tools into their workflow. The company has been developing editing software for over 30 years, originally helping photographers transition from film to digital.

Orta states that Capture One never experienced a crisis of identity when AI became more important in imaging technology. Instead, the company views AI as another tool to assist photographers, provided it is developed responsibly with the needs of the industry in mind. One of the biggest concerns about AI in creative industries is the issue of image sourcing and usage.

Orta acknowledges this concern, noting that many team members at Capture One are photographers, making questions about image ownership and attribution highly relevant. Capture One has strict internal policies regarding appropriate credits and usage of images, both in internal presentations and marketing materials. When developing AI-powered features, Capture One is very aware of the source material used to train their models and ensures they have the proper rights to use the content.

Orta emphasizes that Capture One does not want AI to be a central focus of their user experience. Instead, they label their AI-assisted tools simply as "Retouch Faces" or "Enhance Denoise," allowing photographers to concentrate on the creative task at hand. Orta concludes by stating that Capture One's philosophy remains centered on building software that benefits photographers, while ensuring the creative process itself remains the core focus.