Author Topic: AI generated images are taking over the stock photo industry now. (Read 4768 times)

blvdone · « **on:** July 05, 2023, 07:50 »

This is one of current Adobe Stock best selling portfolio.
https://stock.adobe.com/contributor/286186/Rafa%20Fernandez

It's all AI generated images. Very nice images. You don't even need a camera. You can generate so many in hours rather than doing actual photo shoots with models and paid locations. How can photographers compete with this from now on? At the same time, AI is a new opportunity. There are so many videos on YouTube on how to make money from AI generated images. I got to be prepared what I should do with AI generated videos in future. This is frightening.

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #1 on:** July 05, 2023, 09:26 »

Quote from: blvdone on July 05, 2023, 07:50

...How can photographers compete with this from now on? ...

To me, this seems like an echo of Yuri Arcurs - a distinctive style, it sold a lot, but it didn't prevent other contributors with other styles from plying their trade.

Not everyone liked the Yuri Arcurs look, and I cannot imagine it will be any different with the (to my taste) slightly freakish AI look. Even for a stock image, it's so fake-looking even though all the humans are at some level gorgeous. And that's just for the people and lifestyle categories - there are others. Assuming buyers continue to have a need for a wide range of subjects, all those existing sales won't vanish.

AI is utterly cr$p at some types of images right now.Even assuming it gets better, it may still end up in the fantasy-perfection-land that the lifestyle and home interior images currently inhabit. That leaves an opportunity for something that looks more "real world" as a section of stock that human-created content can fill.

I just had my second best month ever at Adobe Stock - and that's in June, versus November which is typically my big month. There are buyers out there for the not-AI-look or I'd have seen a downturn instead of an upswing.

My two big concerns are (1) lots of content that is AI generated that isn't tagged as such; and (2) masses of AI "oops" images that should not be in the Adobe Stock collection.

We don't want buyers turning away from stock agencies as unreliable sources as that will hurt even those not providing AI work.

cobalt · « **Reply #2 on:** July 05, 2023, 09:53 »

Stock agencies are not a documentary place of the real world.

The best selling content has always been very artificial looking, fake smiling, thumbs up, totally perfect people smiling too much.

But like Jo Ann says, there is also a market for the real world and I have been making very good money with what I call „ugly realism“, usually food where I just take images of the real world around me.

The ai content can probably create many different styles, but at the moment the focus seems to be on the very fake superperfect stuff. But since that style is bestselling content, that actually makes sense.

But there are enough buyers who want real, imperfect humans and maybe after a strong wave of ai content everywhere I think there will be a strong rise of the igly real world again.

It will be the same with video.

And editorial is always needed.

Many are acting like fake looking images are a new thing, when in reality they have always been the best selling content in stock, especially with people.

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #3 on:** July 05, 2023, 11:23 »

Quote from: cobalt on July 05, 2023, 09:53

Stock agencies are not a documentary place of the real world....

True, but with photographs that say they are of specific places - the Colosseum, Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, Golden Gate Bridge, Bridgewater Place (Leeds, UK), Venice, Greece, etc. - they actually are.

One of the many problems with the AI content gold rush is that agencies set rules saying not to identify AI images as of real places or people, but they're not enforcing them.

Adobe rules

https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/contributor/help/generative-ai-content.html

123rf rules

https://www.blog.123rf.com/123rf-guidelines-for-ai-generated-content

AI Golden Gate Bridges (there are many more)

If it looks realistic, it needs to be accurately labeled. Given accuracy is something AI can't handle, the agency rules - don't label actual places or people - make sense.

And don't label body parts when they're (a) inaccurate and (b) gross - warning: don't click on this if you're squeamish.

cobalt · « **Reply #4 on:** July 05, 2023, 11:49 »

If you only look at photos.

But if you look at illustrations there is all kinds of artsy eiffel tower or bridges images.

Obviously many ai images are simply badly done, but in principle illustrations are art and don‘t have to depict the real world.

They also combine well known landmarks into one image, for travel and tourism for instance.

Art can do whatever it wants. It just has to be clearly labeled.

Lowls · « **Reply #5 on:** July 05, 2023, 11:49 »

Quote from: Jo Ann Snover on July 05, 2023, 11:23

And don't label body parts when they're (a) inaccurate and (b) gross - warning: don't click on this if you're squeamish.

Ah now see Jo this is actually completely accurate. This is exactly how the internal organs of a human are. If you take a pensioner and fire them out of a space station air lock. Then drag them back in using a hook on a pole, and return them to earth .... free fall from high earth Orbit and they arrive on the Earth's surface at terminal velocity and land in a strategically placed trash can, that's being used to burn plastic cups, then as long as you allow a teenage crack addict high on miracle grow and kerosene to have at it with a glue gun, bag of walnuts and a brown condom ... ta da ... this is totally accurate.

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #6 on:** July 05, 2023, 12:45 »

Quote from: cobalt on July 05, 2023, 11:49

... but in principle illustrations are art and don‘t have to depict the real world....

I have left out all the obviously interpretative stuff from any of the criticisms. There are plenty of terrible illustrations of the Golden Gate Bridge that AI has produced as well...

Adobe can call photo-realistic images illustrations all it wants, but if it shows up in a search for a buyer and looks like a photo, they'll treat it like a photo. And even if they select photos - excluding illustrations - they'll still get AI mess-ups

Art can do whatever a human artists wants it to, but a stock agency that sets standards for content uploads needs to be responsible for adhering to them. Buyers depend on that assurance.

Rules are meaningless if they're not enforced.

cascoly · « **Reply #7 on:** July 05, 2023, 13:17 »

Quote from: Jo Ann Snover on July 05, 2023, 11:23

True, but with photographs that say they are of specific places - the Colosseum, Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, Golden Gate Bridge, Bridgewater Place (Leeds, UK), Venice, Greece, etc. - they actually are.

One of the many problems with the AI content gold rush is that agencies set rules saying not to identify AI images as of real places or people, but they're not enforcing them.

...

AI Golden Gate Bridges (there are many more)
...

If it looks realistic, it needs to be accurately labeled. Given accuracy is something AI can't handle, the agency rules - don't label actual places or people - make sense.

it's a breakthru in architecture using skyhooks for a suspension bridge!

Quote

And don't label body parts when they're (a) inaccurate and (b) gross - warning: don't click on this if you're squeamish.

looks like something from H. R. Giger alien collexction

cascoly · « **Reply #8 on:** July 05, 2023, 13:24 »

Quote from: cobalt on July 05, 2023, 11:49

If you only look at photos.

But if you look at illustrations there is all kinds of artsy eiffel tower or bridges images.

Obviously many ai images are simply badly done, but in principle illustrations are art and don‘t have to depict the real world.

They also combine well known landmarks into one image, for travel and tourism for instance.

Art can do whatever it wants. It just has to be clearly labeled.

it's likely that many reviewers don't know the actual landmark so the image with a single tower gets accepted. there's no excuse for the second

it's mind boggling that images like these are accepted while many others are being rejected for non-specified quality that may have only minor defects (recently SS was rejecting for 'exposure' images that were accepted when re-sub with a case # for a human's review)

asiseeit · « **Reply #9 on:** July 05, 2023, 13:32 »

Quote from: blvdone on July 05, 2023, 07:50

This is one of current Adobe Stock best selling portfolio.
https://stock.adobe.com/contributor/286186/Rafa%20Fernandez

It's all AI generated images. Very nice images. You don't even need a camera. You can generate so many in hours rather than doing actual photo shoots with models and paid locations. How can photographers compete with this from now on? At the same time, AI is a new opportunity. There are so many videos on YouTube on how to make money from AI generated images. I got to be prepared what I should do with AI generated videos in future. This is frightening.

How do you know this is a best selling portfolio? With just 600 images, and it looks like most of those are not AI but are regular photos.

Noedelhap · « **Reply #10 on:** July 05, 2023, 13:35 »

Quote from: blvdone on July 05, 2023, 07:50

This is one of current Adobe Stock best selling portfolio.
https://stock.adobe.com/contributor/286186/Rafa%20Fernandez

It's all AI generated images. Very nice images. You don't even need a camera.

I don't want to ridicule disabled people, but once quick glance at the top row in that portfolio: what's with her arm? I've seen horror movie monsters that have less distorted limbs.

asiseeit · « **Reply #11 on:** July 05, 2023, 13:39 »

Quote from: Noedelhap on July 05, 2023, 13:35

Quote from: blvdone on July 05, 2023, 07:50
This is one of current Adobe Stock best selling portfolio.
https://stock.adobe.com/contributor/286186/Rafa%20Fernandez

It's all AI generated images. Very nice images. You don't even need a camera.

I don't want to ridicule disabled people, but once quick glance at the top row in that portfolio: what's with her arm? I've seen horror movie monsters that have less distorted limbs.

I don't think any arms work like that.

Noedelhap · « **Reply #12 on:** July 05, 2023, 13:44 »

Interesting hands to say the least.

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #13 on:** July 05, 2023, 14:02 »

Quote from: Lowls on July 05, 2023, 11:49

...If you take a pensioner and fire them out of a space station air lock. Then drag them back in using a hook on a pole, and return them to earth .... free fall from high earth Orbit and they arrive on the Earth's surface at terminal velocity and land in a strategically placed trash can, that's being used to burn plastic cups, then as long as you allow a teenage crack addict high on miracle grow and kerosene to have at it with a glue gun, bag of walnuts and a brown condom ... ta da ... this is totally accurate.

You should be writing science fiction horror stories! You know where you can get material to illustrate your book

Stockmaan · « **Reply #14 on:** July 05, 2023, 14:03 »

Quote from: Noedelhap on July 05, 2023, 13:35

Quote from: blvdone on July 05, 2023, 07:50
This is one of current Adobe Stock best selling portfolio.
https://stock.adobe.com/contributor/286186/Rafa%20Fernandez

It's all AI generated images. Very nice images. You don't even need a camera.

I don't want to ridicule disabled people, but once quick glance at the top row in that portfolio: what's with her arm? I've seen horror movie monsters that have less distorted limbs.

This is on Adobe?

6 fingers, nice

Noedelhap · « **Reply #15 on:** July 05, 2023, 14:18 »

Quote from: Stockmaan on July 05, 2023, 14:03

Quote from: Noedelhap on July 05, 2023, 13:35
Quote from: blvdone on July 05, 2023, 07:50
This is one of current Adobe Stock best selling portfolio.
https://stock.adobe.com/contributor/286186/Rafa%20Fernandez

It's all AI generated images. Very nice images. You don't even need a camera.

I don't want to ridicule disabled people, but once quick glance at the top row in that portfolio: what's with her arm? I've seen horror movie monsters that have less distorted limbs.

This is on Adobe? 6 fingers, nice

I hadn't even noticed that one, haha!

cobalt · « **Reply #16 on:** July 05, 2023, 14:23 »

So the basic problem is not that producers add paris, dubai rome if that was the basis in their prompts, but that the accepted quality for ai is too low

That is currently an overall problem at Adobe.

But it looks like at the moment the main goal is just to bring the queue down.

Adding whatever you find to the discord sounds like good way to help them.

It is all new and evolving very fast.

On Dreamstime I can enlarge every image with one click, that makes it very easy to discover problems.

Would be a useful tool for Adobe, especially with ai.

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #17 on:** July 05, 2023, 14:40 »

The port referenced by the OP has a lot of earlier work that's not AI generated - about the most recent 1/3 is AI as best I can tell.

genAI work that shouldn't have been accepted goes back many months - this isn't just a problem with the queue being jammed right now. And you can't report anything on Discord unless you're a "level 10" which I'm not.

The evolution of this port goes from...

Levitating fruit slices

to mutant veggies

to luggage you pull with your butt

to 6-digit hands

The problem with specific places being used is that the items show up in searches and Adobe's rules say you shouldn't identify AI images with specific place or people's names. I don't (normally) read the titles, but just look at what is returned for search input. Getting irrelevant results is a basic problem (and I know keyword spam has been around for a long time and isn't controlled either, but that doesn't excuse uploading AI mistakes).

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #18 on:** July 05, 2023, 15:11 »

This image was approved some time today (not from the contributor in the OP). I sat there moving my fingers to be sure the 5-digit hand position was impossible (the 6 digit hand was enough for a rejection anyway)

Portrait of happy senior businessman in white suit and eyeglasses showing thumbs up isolated on white background.

blvdone · « **Reply #19 on:** July 05, 2023, 17:14 »

Buyers just need to erase a finger. That's all.

cascoly · « **Reply #20 on:** July 05, 2023, 19:20 »

so basically the artist is giving the buyer the (extra) finger?

on MJ today - asked for surgeon & brain surgery & got a surgeon stitching up what i hope is a chicken

on plus side, MJ showed me 3 women ( 1 of color) & one androgynous

then found a Darwin with 5 fingers, but writing his journal with a pen in each hand

blvdone · « **Reply #21 on:** July 05, 2023, 20:30 »

Half the "Recent top sellers" list of "illustrations" on Adobe Stock are contributors with AI generated materials.

https://stock.adobe.com/contributor/205022621/annebel146?asset_id=598349929
https://stock.adobe.com/contributor/6434/Vadim%20Andrushchenko
https://stock.adobe.com/contributor/211215790/Gildilane
https://stock.adobe.com/contributor/211435798/Ali
https://stock.adobe.com/contributor/211272799/TensorSpark?asset_id=583622105

cobalt · « **Reply #22 on:** July 05, 2023, 23:28 »

uber positiv, great smiles, shiny happy people…what else is supposed to sell?

The customers don‘t care how you create what they need.

There are also other trends and markets, but obviously those who create what customers want with ai, will make the most money.

blvdone · « **Reply #23 on:** July 06, 2023, 08:07 »

Quote from: cobalt on July 05, 2023, 23:28

uber positiv, great smiles, shiny happy people…what else is supposed to sell?

The customers don‘t care how you create what they need.

There are also other trends and markets, but obviously those who create what customers want with ai, will make the most money.

To whom are you talking to? Who said those kinds of clips don’t sell?

alison1414 · « **Reply #24 on:** July 06, 2023, 11:33 »

Quote from: blvdone on July 05, 2023, 07:50

This is one of current Adobe Stock best selling portfolio.
https://stock.adobe.com/contributor/286186/Rafa%20Fernandez

It's all AI generated images. Very nice images. You don't even need a camera. You can generate so many in hours rather than doing actual photo shoots with models and paid locations. How can photographers compete with this from now on? At the same time, AI is a new opportunity. There are so many videos on YouTube on how to make money from AI generated images. I got to be prepared what I should do with AI generated videos in future. This is frightening.

.............
Look the hand on the girl in the yellow sweater, 4 rows down, far left. She has 6 fingers. AI is known for wonky hands and feet. Are these images not being reviewed??

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Author Topic: AI generated images are taking over the stock photo industry now. (Read 4768 times)

blvdone

Jo Ann Snover

cobalt

Jo Ann Snover

cobalt

Lowls

Jo Ann Snover

cascoly

cascoly

asiseeit

Noedelhap

asiseeit

Noedelhap

Jo Ann Snover

Stockmaan

Noedelhap

cobalt

Jo Ann Snover

Jo Ann Snover

blvdone

cascoly

blvdone

cobalt

blvdone

alison1414

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