File extension

.ai

Adobe Illustrator(R) File Format Specification Version 7.0 (Acrobat)

.ai files are Adobe Illustrator artwork: the native vector-graphics format of Illustrator, historically PostScript-based and now built on PDF, storing paths, type, and effects for scalable illustration.

Known meanings

Formats and reference material for .ai

Adobe Illustrator(R) File Format Specification Version 7.0 (Acrobat)

Adobe Illustrator(R) File Format Specification Version 7.0 (Acrobat)

  • 2d-graphics
  • Adobe
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Adobe Illustrator 2.0 Format (Acrobat)

Adobe Illustrator 2.0 Format (Acrobat)

  • 2d-graphics
  • Adobe
Download

Adobe Illustrator 3.0 Draft Format (Acrobat)

Adobe Illustrator 3.0 Draft Format (Acrobat)

  • 2d-graphics
  • Adobe
Download

Utility for creating AI files

Utility for creating AI files

  • 2d-graphics
Open link

Details

Format notes

Adobe Illustrator Artwork (AI)

AI is the native document format of Adobe Illustrator, the industry-standard vector illustration program. It stores artwork as resolution-independent objects — Bézier paths, shapes, editable type, gradients, patterns, effects, and layers — so logos, icons, and illustrations can be scaled to any size without loss of quality. It is a primary interchange format for professional graphic design and print.

The format’s underpinnings have changed over time. Early AI files were a constrained dialect of PostScript, which is why older .ai files can often be interpreted by PostScript tools. Modern AI files are based on PDF: the file is a valid PDF that additionally carries private Illustrator data preserving full editability. This dual nature means a current .ai can frequently be opened or placed by PDF-aware applications, though only Illustrator reads the private editing information.

Preservation And Security Notes

Because AI is proprietary and editor-specific, preserving important artwork often means keeping the .ai master alongside an open or standardized derivative such as SVG (for web-scale vector graphics) or PDF/X (for print). Faithful rendering depends on fonts, linked or embedded images, and color profiles, which should be captured with the file. Since modern AI is PDF-based (and older AI is PostScript- based), the same caution applies to untrusted files: open them with an up-to-date, sandboxed reader.

Further Reading

  • Adobe Illustrator overview: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Illustrator_Artwork