Getty Images releases its own AI image generator

AI image generators (or at least decent ones) are relatively new, leading to gray-area questions from marketers like, “Which pictures can I pull without potential copyright infringement?” or “Will this robot take my job?”

In what could be an answer to that first question, this week Getty Images unveiled an AI tool that allows customers to create images in a “commercially safe” way. Generative AI by Getty Images, as it’s very literally named, works with Nvidia’s AI technology to create images from Getty’s licensed photo library with no worries about copyright infringement.

“We’re excited to launch a tool that harnesses the power of generative AI to address our customers’ commercial needs while respecting the intellectual property of creators,” Getty Images CEO Craig Peters said in a statement.

Generating revenue: According to Getty, content generated using the new tool will not become available in Getty Image or iStock libraries for other customers to use. Getty contributors will also be compensated when their images are used to train the generator. It’s not clear yet whether contributors will have the option to opt out or limit the tool’s use of their images—something that artists have been fighting for with Adobe Stock’s Firefly AI model.

Are there any limitations? When testing the tool, The Verge found that certain prompts—like President Biden or Andy Warhol—were off limits. Getty told the publication that the tool “doesn’t want to manipulate or recreate real-life events.” Given recent conversations around AI disclosures, The Verge also confirmed that Getty’s tool watermarks content as created with AI.

What’s next? Getty plans to release new features later this year that will allow customers to incorporate their “brand style and language” into AI-generated images.