AI (Adobe Illustrator Artwork)
AI is Adobe Illustrator's native vector graphics format for logos, illustrations, icons, and print-ready artwork. It preserves all Illustrator-specific features including layers, brushes, effects, and editable text. AI files are the standard deliverable in professional graphic design.
MIME Type
application/postscript
Type
Binary
Compression
Lossless
Advantages
- + Full fidelity with all Illustrator features and editability
- + PDF-compatible mode enables viewing without Illustrator
- + Industry standard for professional logo and illustration delivery
- + Supports artboards for multi-page vector layouts
Disadvantages
- − Requires Adobe Illustrator for full editing
- − Large file sizes with embedded fonts and linked images
- − Not a web format — must export to SVG or PNG for browsers
When to Use .AI
Use AI as the working format for vector artwork in Illustrator; export to SVG for web, EPS for legacy print, or PDF for sharing.
Technical Details
Modern AI files are based on the PDF format with additional Illustrator-specific private data streams for layers, artboards, and effects. When 'Create PDF Compatible File' is enabled, the AI file can be opened as a flat PDF by non-Illustrator software.
History
Adobe Illustrator was first released in 1987 for the Macintosh. The .ai format evolved from PostScript-based origins to a PDF-compatible format in Illustrator 9 (2000), embedding full Illustrator data within a PDF wrapper.