OpenAI inks multi-year deal with Getty Images to bring stock photos to ChatGPT

Getty Images has announced a multi-year partnership with OpenAI that will integrate its library of licensed visual content into OpenAI's search tools and ChatGPT. Under the agreement, Getty's stock photos and illustrations will appear in responses provided by ChatGPT, enriching AI-powered answers with high-quality, legally cleared imagery.

Getty CEO Craig Peters stated that high-quality licensed visual content makes AI-powered search and discovery more useful and trustworthy. He emphasized that the partnership reflects a shared understanding of this principle and that together they aim to deliver richer visual experiences to ChatGPT users.

Until recently, Getty had taken a firm stance against collaborating with AI companies. In September 2022, Getty banned all AI-generated art from its library. A few months later, it filed a lawsuit against Stability AI for alleged copyright violations, a case that was dismissed late last year. One year after banning AI art, Getty launched its own generative AI tool trained on its library and powered by NVIDIA's Edigy AI model, with each output image carrying a royalty-free license.

In October 2025, Getty signed a similar deal with Perplexity AI, granting that company's AI search and discovery tools access to its library. Notably, the Perplexity announcement mentioned that Perplexity would make improvements to image display, including image credit with a link to the source, to educate users on legal use of licensed imagery. Perplexity has faced lawsuits over alleged unauthorized use of copyrighted material.

Getty has not disclosed whether its images will be used for AI training under the OpenAI deal, but the company confirmed that its agreement with Perplexity explicitly prohibits such use.