Michael Troyer Shutterstock, a leading provider of stock content, has announced an expansion of its partnership with OpenAI. As part of the deal, OpenAI will have access to Shutterstock’s extensive library of images, videos, music, and metadata, which will be used to train its AI models. In return, Shutterstock will gain priority access to OpenAI’s latest technology and new editing capabilities, allowing customers to transform images in Shutterstock’s content library.
Bringing Generative AI to Mobile Users
In addition to the existing partnership, OpenAI will also collaborate with Shutterstock to bring generative AI capabilities to mobile users through Giphy, the popular GIF library recently acquired by Shutterstock. This move aims to expand the reach of generative AI and provide innovative features for mobile users.
Driving AI Tech Innovation
Shutterstock’s CEO, Paul Hennessy, emphasized the company’s commitment to driving AI tech innovation through the renewed and expanded partnership with OpenAI. The collaboration solidifies Shutterstock’s position as a leading data and distribution partner for industry leaders in generative AI.
Stock Galleries and Generative AI
The relationship between stock galleries, like Shutterstock, and generative AI startups has been complicated. Generative AI, particularly generative AI art, poses a potential threat to stock galleries by enabling the creation of highly customizable stock images. Some artists and photographers have voiced concerns over generative AI startups profiting from their work without proper credit or compensation.
Shutterstock’s Approach
Unlike Getty Images, which has taken legal action against AI art startups, Shutterstock has chosen to embrace generative AI. The company partnered with OpenAI to launch an image creator called DALL-E 2, allowing users to generate unique images powered by OpenAI’s technology. Shutterstock has also entered licensing agreements with industry leaders like Nvidia, Meta, and LG to develop generative AI models and tools across various media formats.
Supporting Artists on the Platform
To address concerns from its platform’s artists, Shutterstock has established a “contributor fund” that compensates artists for their contributions to training the company’s generative AI. Artists also receive ongoing royalties tied to licensing for newly generated assets, ensuring they are fairly rewarded for their work.
While the legal implications of using copyrighted images for training AI models remain unresolved, Shutterstock’s strategic partnership with OpenAI demonstrates its commitment to innovation and its desire to be at the forefront of AI technology in the stock content industry. Read the announcement here
