Getty Images is the latest to join in the club banning the upload and sale of Artificial Intelligence-based illustrations. The club already has members which include Newgrounds and Purpleport who announced the ban earlier.
Decision To Ban
According to Getty images CEO, the decision to ban the AI-generated illustration has been taken considering, the concerns associated with the generation. The decision was also compelled by the urge to protect the site’s customers, the CEO said.
The CEO further said that there are unsettled claims regarding the copyright issues with AI images. Craig Peters added that the company is taking these decisions keeping its users in mind.
Getty Images CEO did not comment on the question if he has received any challenge legally over the use of AI-based images. The CEO said that such images form a very small part of the site and he reiterated his commitment to protect the interest of its users, as well as the company’s prestige.
Artificial Intelligence illustrations have also been removed from other platforms for reasons other than customer interest. FurAffinity, which has banned AI illustrations from its platform has said that the company is banning them since they deem the work done by human artists to be inferior.
Partially Allowed
According to news reports, Shutterstock considered to be the competitor of Getty is yet to impose a blanket ban on AI-based images. Reports bring out that, the company is currently allowing the partial use of such images from its platform.
The Getty images founder on being asked if artificial intelligence images are any threat. The CEO opined that artificial images are an extension of the technology arm. Getty’s CEO has said that he is going to rely on user reports to remove any AI images, until a tool to identify them is put in place.
Legal Challenges
However, the creators of these images claim the use of technology to be legal. Reportedly, the software used in AI technology makes use of several copyrighted images taken from various sites, web portals and blogs. Although the scrapping of images is allowed under US law, the cause of worry is the fair use of such images. Fair use practices lack sufficient legal backing for the commercial use of the images. There is a demand for new laws to regulate this domain, from different quarters. Despite the claims of AI generators, the legality of these images is bound to be challenged.