OpenAI has signed a multi-year partnership with Getty Images to bring the stock photo company's licensed visual content directly into ChatGPT and OpenAI's search products. The deal, announced on Tuesday, aims to make AI-powered search more trustworthy by integrating high-quality, licensed imagery.
A shift in Getty's AI stance
Getty CEO Craig Peters said the collaboration reflects a shared recognition that licensed visual content makes AI search and discovery more useful. The partnership marks a notable reversal for Getty, which previously took a hard line against AI. In September 2022, Getty banned AI-generated art from its library, and months later sued Stability AI for copyright infringement—a case that was dismissed late last year.
Building on earlier deals
Getty's own generative AI tool, launched in 2023 and powered by NVIDIA's Edify model, was trained on its library and offered royalty-free licenses for generated images. The new OpenAI deal follows a similar agreement with Perplexity AI in October 2025, which allowed Perplexity to access Getty's library while committing to clearer image credits and source links. Perplexity has faced lawsuits over alleged unauthorized use of copyrighted material.
Training use unclear
OpenAI and Getty have not disclosed whether the images will be used to train AI models. The Perplexity deal explicitly prohibits training use, and it remains to be seen if the OpenAI agreement includes similar restrictions.