07/04/2026
Getty Images just signed a multi-year deal with OpenAI.
Now when you search in ChatGPT, you'll see licensed stock photos — not AI-generated slop or scraped web images.
This is the first major stock library to embed its catalog directly into an AI product.
It's a win for creators. They get attribution. They get paid. Their work shows up in the tool millions already use daily.
It's also a signal that the war between AI companies and content owners is shifting.
From lawsuits to licensing deals. From courtrooms to contracts.
OpenAI gets legal cover and real imagery. Getty gets distribution at unprecedented scale.
The model is simple: if your content powers the tool, you should share in the upside.
Open AI just signaled they want to negotiate while flexing pockets about as deep as they come.
Expect every major media and content company to start lining up for their slice of the pie.
But what happens though when the tap runs dry?