Great news for photographers and businesses using AI-generated images! Shutterstock, the popular stock photo site, is offering full indemnification to its AI art generator users.
The company wants to boost confidence in AI technology and protect businesses from potential legal claims tied to the use of AI-generated images.
To ensure the legality of AI-generated images, Shutterstock will have human reviewers check any images facing legal claims. This follows a similar announcement from Adobe, which introduced IP indemnity for its generative AI platform, Firefly.
These moves show the industry’s commitment to address the legal concerns surrounding AI-generated content.
However, concerns have been raised about the lack of a thorough review process for AI-generated images on Shutterstock’s platform. That leaves room for potential copyright infringement and ethical issues.
This could have legal consequences for businesses using these images, nullifying the time and cost benefits that AI tools provide.
Recognizing the need for assurance, Jeff Cunning, Shutterstock’s Vice President of Product, stated that this advancement is significant for both their platform and the industry.
Now, creatives and business professionals can confidently use AI content generated on Shutterstock’s platform for commercial or personal purposes without the worry of copyright or ethical issues.
Industry leaders, including John Lapham, General Counsel at Shutterstock, acknowledge the importance of ensuring AI-generated content’s legality and commercial safety. Business professionals want assurance regarding their rights to use such content, while content creators want fair licensing for their original work.
After conducting trials, Shutterstock plans to extend its indemnification protections to all enterprise users upon request. This means that companies using Shutterstock’s platform will be protected against potential legal claims associated with the use of generative AI images.
Shutterstock has been actively integrating generative AI into its platform since partnering with OpenAI in 2022, making it possible for customers to use DALL·E for AI image generation.
This move by Shutterstock is interesting and somewhat expected. Commercial use of generative AI has faced a major challenge due to the lack of copyright protection on generated work. The US Copyright Office has clarified that AI-generated works have no copyright coverage.
For photographers, Shutterstock’s full indemnification for AI-generated images means peace of mind and legal protection. Capture stunning visuals without worrying about copyright or ethical issues.
