Last Updated on 11/27/2024 by Chris Gampat
A lot has happened over the past two days. For instance, Getty Images has decided to use generative AI tools, which will make the life of commercial photographers quite challenging. While we were reeling from this, Adobe appeared not far behind. In a new update, the company has announced that customers of Adobe Stock can easily use Adobe Firefly to “quickly discover content, as well as edit and refine Stock assets to meet their needs.” But will stock contributors have a say in this?
All images are screenshots from Adobe Stock.
From the looks of it, Adobe has not revealed whether photographers already contributing to Adobe Stock have a say in this or whether they have a choice to skip this. In a fair world, Adobe should have a contract for people who refuse to let their photographs be edited by AI. However, we aren’t sure if that is the case.
So, what do these tools do? Generative Edits and Generate Variations are Firefly tools that can be used on any stock photograph before it is licensed. Like Getty Images, one can ‘replace or remove the background’ of the existing images, ‘expand’ the picture or change the ‘style’ and ‘composition’ of the Stock image to align with their needs. All they need to do is type a text prompt that will be applied to the photograph.
Will the photographers be paid? Yes, they will be compensated for contributing their images. In fact, Adobe announced a somewhat problematic model not too long ago, where contributors who allow Adobe Firefly AI to train on their work will get a bonus. However, “not all content submitted to Adobe Stock will be eligible for a Firefly bonus, as Firefly does not train on all content submitted to Adobe Stock.” Furthermore, the bonus will be different.
Even more concerning is that Adobe believes that “AI is a tool to enhance and elevate creative workflows,” and the images above prove that this is not the case. Why do I want an image to appear like a poorly made painting? What is even more weird is that Stock contributors will only be “compensated when their Stock asset is used as a reference and the resulting generated output is downloaded.”
According to CNET, Adobe’s stock library is essential to tech companies that need human-made content to train their AI models. However, Adobe’s AI is reportedly only being trained through Stock Images and images in the public domain whose copyright is past its shelf life. Meta, on the other hand, is using all of the public posts and pictures on its platform (including Instagram) to train AI.
Update: Adobe is prohibiting third parties from using their assets to train AI, according to a post by Adobe. This was pointed out to us in a recent conversation we had with Adobe’s PR reps.
While we have shared with you what you can do to safeguard your photographers in this case, stock and commercial photographers are some groups that will be hit the work with such policies. Stock photography was a viable tool and meant to earn. Still, with the demonstration of the digital camera, the number of people entering the business made the entire situation a struggle for the existing people. As rates went down, a stock photographer can make anywhere between $.25 to $50 per download. The royalties would change based on the medium used and the times the licenses are being bought.
However, despite that, the age of AI is killing what remains of the genre. Adobe Stock believes it will usher in a new era where customers can customize the images to their liking, but that creates more issues. The only reason one will utilize Adobe stock, which is significantly more multinational, is for IP indemnification, which will cover them against any legal case. However, if this were not promised, many would use the free online tool instead.
Adobe seems to be creating more problems than helping photographers. FTC has already sued them for trapping photographers, and people are losing trust. Adobe Stock images, we do hope, are the last blow that changes the company for the better.