At CES 2024, Getty Images, a prominent stock media company, introduced a new service, Generative AI by iStock, harnessing AI models trained on Getty's extensive iStock stock photography and video libraries. This innovative service aims to generate new licensable images and artwork while addressing copyright concerns.
Functionality and Features: Powered partially by Nvidia's technology, Generative AI by iStock is designed to avoid generating images containing copyrighted elements, including known products, people, and places. With capabilities to modify existing images and generate entirely new ones, the service supports 75 languages and offers seamless integration with existing apps and plug-ins through an API. Getty emphasizes its commitment to providing users an affordable and worry-free option to incorporate AI into their creative processes.
Pricing and Legal Coverage: The service is priced at $15 per 100 generated images. To address potential copyright issues, Generative AI by iStock comes with a unique feature — each licensed visual generated by a customer includes $10,000 in legal coverage. Grant Farhall, iStock’s chief product officer, explained, "Our main goal with Generative AI by iStock is to provide customers with an easy and affordable option to use AI in their creative process, without fear that something that is legally protected has snuck into the data set and could end up in their work."
Context of the Copyright Debate: This launch occurs against the backdrop of an intensifying copyright debate surrounding AI-generated content. GenAI models, such as Generative AI by iStock, learn from extensive datasets to produce human-like text and images. However, concerns arise when these models regurgitate copyrighted material without obtaining proper permissions or paying fees. Notable critics, including Gary Marcus and visual effects artist Reid Southen, highlight the lack of tools to determine possible infringement, contributing to ongoing legal challenges.
Industry Landscape: Several companies developing GenAI apps argue protection under the fair use doctrine, particularly in the U.S. Yet, copyright-related lawsuits have emerged over the past year against companies like Stability AI, Midjourney, DeviantArt, and Getty Images itself. Getty Images has sued Stability AI, alleging the unauthorized copying and processing of millions of images and associated metadata.
Legal Coverage Assurance: Acknowledging the legal complexities, Generative AI by iStock provides a safety net for its users. In the event of copyright-related complications, each licensed visual comes with $10,000 in legal coverage. This aligns with a growing trend where some vendors offer to cover legal fees for customers implicated in copyright lawsuits arising from the use of GenAI tools.
Getty Images' Generative AI by iStock presents a significant step in leveraging AI for creative processes while proactively addressing copyright challenges, contributing to the ongoing discourse on the intersection of technology and intellectual property.
