Shutterstock Expands Partnership with OpenAI for six more years, allowing the AI company to train its models using Shutterstock’s extensive library of images, videos, music, and metadata during that time.
The stock image site’s partnership with OpenAI first began in 2021. That’s when Shutterstock began allowing the company to use its images to train its text-to-image model, DALL-E: An Agreement. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman described as “critical” for model formation. Last year, Shutterstock launched a “Contributor Fund” to compensate artists when their work is used to train OpenAI models.
“We are pleased to be able to license Shutterstock’s library of high-quality content,” says Brad Lightcap, COO of OpenAI, in a statement. “This extended collaboration not only enhances the capabilities of our image models, but also empowers brands, digital media, and marketing firms to unlock transformative possibilities in content creation and ideation.”
Unlike other image-sharing platforms like Getty Images, Shutterstock is fully embracing AI and all the consequences it can bring. Artists have raised concerns about their work being scraped to train AI models, which Getty Images has addressed by completely banning AI-generated content on its platform. Getty Images also sued Stability AI, the company behind the artificial intelligence art tool Stable Diffusion, over allegations that it “illegally copied and processed millions of copyrighted images” on its website.
While Shutterstock may see its library grow through its integration with DALL-E, it may not save the platform from the legal gray area surrounding AI-generated content.
