NYPost: Getty Images files for bankruptcy amid mounting debt and AI competition
10 Replies to “I, For One, Welcome Our New Self-Driving Overlords”
I wonder whether this will lead to the “infringement” issues being ironed out on AI Image Generation. AI, pretty obviously, is scraping Getty Images to have a fundamental base in which to generate product. You can actually see the watermark (although blurred) in some of the AI generations. The Courts have sided with AI claiming Fair Use. And, there is a good argument for that as well. But, it seems to me that image scraping is a form of infringement, especially when the two entities are in direct competition, and Getty Images can show damages.
I don’t think the law has caught up with the culture just yet.
“file photo” … imagine that? The media doesn’t need Getty images to LIE anymore.
and THAT kj is one of the precise mechanisms and processes by which my prediction
about AI destroying civilization comes true.
its coming. and a LOT of other nasty stuff.
L – What is true in an A.I. world?
What is the value of truth?
Prof. Jordan Peterson posits the true purpose of life, that gives life the most meaning is:
“The pursuit of truth in the service of love.”
Does A.I. make that easier, more difficult or simply still the greatest challenge, the great call to adventure, it always has been? Think carefully. Yes, you are being tested.
(Is a true photo of a loved one better than a A.I. one? What about one of yourself at different stages of life?)
Good comment, Larry.
Jordan was riffing off Jesus right there,
As for AI and Getty images…
I am a luddite and have wondered why Getty owned all those images.
As for true photos, here’s a lyric from Guy Clark’s song “My favorite picture of you.”
My favorite picture of you
Is the one where you’re staring
Straight into the lens
It’s just a Polaroid shot
Someone took on the spot
No beginning, no end
“I am a luddite and have wondered why Getty owned all those images.”
Getty was the largest supplier of the photographers and processors for major events world wide and was the supplier of choice for pretty well all printed media. During wet photography processing days it was a great business, digital days it still worked out well. There were usually several photographers at each major event, plus runners, processors, etc. They were able to get photos out to every newsprint and over-air coverage very quickly.
Business model pretty well sewed up every major newspaper and print media paying them.
A lot of other photographers sold to Getty for other events or occurrences like on-scene for riots or local newsworthy stories. Even travel and vacation photography were available.
With declining publications and smaller subscription bases, less demand or volume needed. Higher costs to put photographers at events. With costs rising, print, digital and on-air media will go to the least expensive supplier, it’s not like they care about the supplier or the reader.
I’m calling bullshit on this one. You don’t amass a debt of $10 billion in such a short time because of AI. Either there is a long standing revenue problem or the company is very poorly run. Or both. So … blame AI.
This. AI competition isn’t helping, I’m sure, and we all know news outlets will use AI slop to serve their narrative rather than on the ground actual photos, but this is really about a long-term decline in demand for the services Getty provides, plus an attempt to move into the stock photo business by acquiring Shutterstock. It’s that last one that caused this. The stock photo business is exactly what will be destroyed with AI.
First Bioware and now this? It’s not my birthday. Halloween present?
No, Halloween near future. Oh, wait, sorry, misunderstood you.
I wonder whether this will lead to the “infringement” issues being ironed out on AI Image Generation. AI, pretty obviously, is scraping Getty Images to have a fundamental base in which to generate product. You can actually see the watermark (although blurred) in some of the AI generations. The Courts have sided with AI claiming Fair Use. And, there is a good argument for that as well. But, it seems to me that image scraping is a form of infringement, especially when the two entities are in direct competition, and Getty Images can show damages.
I don’t think the law has caught up with the culture just yet.
“file photo” … imagine that? The media doesn’t need Getty images to LIE anymore.
and THAT kj is one of the precise mechanisms and processes by which my prediction
about AI destroying civilization comes true.
its coming. and a LOT of other nasty stuff.
L – What is true in an A.I. world?
What is the value of truth?
Prof. Jordan Peterson posits the true purpose of life, that gives life the most meaning is:
“The pursuit of truth in the service of love.”
Does A.I. make that easier, more difficult or simply still the greatest challenge, the great call to adventure, it always has been? Think carefully. Yes, you are being tested.
(Is a true photo of a loved one better than a A.I. one? What about one of yourself at different stages of life?)
Good comment, Larry.
Jordan was riffing off Jesus right there,
As for AI and Getty images…
I am a luddite and have wondered why Getty owned all those images.
As for true photos, here’s a lyric from Guy Clark’s song “My favorite picture of you.”
My favorite picture of you
Is the one where you’re staring
Straight into the lens
It’s just a Polaroid shot
Someone took on the spot
No beginning, no end
“I am a luddite and have wondered why Getty owned all those images.”
Getty was the largest supplier of the photographers and processors for major events world wide and was the supplier of choice for pretty well all printed media. During wet photography processing days it was a great business, digital days it still worked out well. There were usually several photographers at each major event, plus runners, processors, etc. They were able to get photos out to every newsprint and over-air coverage very quickly.
Business model pretty well sewed up every major newspaper and print media paying them.
A lot of other photographers sold to Getty for other events or occurrences like on-scene for riots or local newsworthy stories. Even travel and vacation photography were available.
With declining publications and smaller subscription bases, less demand or volume needed. Higher costs to put photographers at events. With costs rising, print, digital and on-air media will go to the least expensive supplier, it’s not like they care about the supplier or the reader.
I’m calling bullshit on this one. You don’t amass a debt of $10 billion in such a short time because of AI. Either there is a long standing revenue problem or the company is very poorly run. Or both. So … blame AI.
This. AI competition isn’t helping, I’m sure, and we all know news outlets will use AI slop to serve their narrative rather than on the ground actual photos, but this is really about a long-term decline in demand for the services Getty provides, plus an attempt to move into the stock photo business by acquiring Shutterstock. It’s that last one that caused this. The stock photo business is exactly what will be destroyed with AI.
First Bioware and now this? It’s not my birthday. Halloween present?
No, Halloween near future. Oh, wait, sorry, misunderstood you.