Getty Images and Shutterstock Agree To Merge (axios.com)
- Reference: 0175845503
- News link: https://slashdot.org/story/25/01/07/1440229/getty-images-and-shutterstock-agree-to-merge
- Source link: https://www.axios.com/2025/01/07/getty-images-shutterstock-merger
> The deal underscores the soaring demand for images and related content from content creators and platforms. Getty CEO Craig Peters will remain chief executive of the combined business, which will trade under the GETY ticker symbol.
[1] https://www.axios.com/2025/01/07/getty-images-shutterstock-merger
We know (Score:2)
Somebody already told us about it here 3 days ago.
Wow, that's one doomed company I'd never invest in (Score:2)
AI is still complete garbage at making realistic-looking, beautiful images. But there's one thing it's already very good at, and it's making stock photos. If I wanted to illustrate something or make a point visually, I'd never give Getty or Shutterstock my money: I'd just instruct an AI image generator to produce what I need in seconds.
Hell, even before AI, I've used them for years and never gave them a single penny: when I need an image they have and nobody else has - which is rare - I download the image a
Only one URL to block? (Score:1)
Does this mean there will only be one URL to block now?
Stock photos are... (Score:2)
...crap and AI can make better crap, faster and cheaper
I've NEVER seen a site that was improved by adding stock photos
Evidently designers like them, but I see no valid use case that improves anything
Oligopolies always suck eventually (Score:2)
Ass + Hole = Asshole
Stock images face decline, but is still viable (Score:2)
Yes, anyone can generate an AI image instead of browsing through dozens or hundreds of images using dreadfull filters and search capabilities of Getty or shutterstock...
But, if you are a serious site, you can not ask an AI to "make a picture of the trump/zelenski meeting in Oct 2024", you need the real deal. Many other examples exist.
Moreso, many a work of art picture is available only in some of these services, you can not ask an AI to give you "Christ's Entry into Brussels in 1889", if you are a serious s
Nope. (Score:4, Interesting)
"The deal underscores the soaring demand for images and related content from content creators and platforms"
If there was soaring demand, each would be able to have their own customers without needing the help of the other or treading on the other's toes.
What this is is two of the largest stock-image sites merging because AI-trash is killing them off and they need to stop fighting each other in order to survive.
Stock image business faces decline (Score:2)
Adding:
- AI is killing low-end and mid-tier markets for stock images
- Many well-known stock images rely on generational identification of them. Stock photos from the 1920s have declining recognition among younger generations
Re: (Score:3)
> What this is is two of the largest stock-image sites merging because AI-trash is killing them off and they need to stop fighting each other in order to survive.
How long will it be before Getty sues someone who uses an AI generated image, claiming it is a derivative work of one of their images? After all, this was the company that [1]threatened a photographer who used their own image, [petapixel.com] which had been released to the public domain, because Getty also sold a license to it.
[1] https://petapixel.com/2016/11/22/1-billion-getty-images-lawsuit-ends-not-bang-whimper/