How are Swatch Library save formats in AI different from ASE?

Question

Adobe Illustrator

Answer 1

AI is the " Adobe Illustrator " format - the regular format of the editor itself, it can contain both layouts and all the settings in which these layouts were saved (colors, brushes, etc.). It opens in Illustrator and sometimes dances with tambourines are needed in some other applications.
ASE is " Adobe Swatch Exchange " - a format for exchanging sets of color palettes directly between applications, as the name implies. Opens in any (theoretically) Edab application. In Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign for sure.
How to manage Color Groups
Adobe Swatch Exchange (ASE) files