Getty Images, one of the world’s largest photography agencies, has entered into a multi-year licensing agreement with OpenAI, marking a significant shift in how the company engages with artificial intelligence firms following a recent legal setback in a closely watched copyright dispute.
The agreement will allow images from Getty’s vast library to appear within ChatGPT’s search results, enhancing the chatbot’s visual capabilities. However, the deal does not extend to training OpenAI’s image-generation model, DALL·E, meaning Getty’s content will not be used to develop or improve the underlying generative system. Financial terms of the arrangement were not disclosed.
Investor reaction was swift. Getty Images’ shares surged as much as 108% in early trading in New York, reflecting renewed optimism around the company’s positioning in the rapidly evolving AI landscape after a prolonged period of market pressure.
Getty chief executive Craig Peters described the partnership as a validation of licensed content within artificial intelligence ecosystems. He said high-quality, rights-cleared imagery improves both reliability and user experience in AI-driven search and discovery tools. Peters added that the collaboration with OpenAI reflects a shared commitment to integrating trusted visual content into generative platforms, as outlined in Getty’s official statement.
The company’s archive includes roughly 609 million images, making it one of the most extensive commercial libraries globally. Despite its scale, Getty has faced significant investor concern over whether AI image generators could reduce demand for traditional stock photography services. The company’s stock has declined sharply over the past year, reflecting uncertainty across the creative licensing sector.
The OpenAI deal comes as Getty pursues a broader strategic transformation, including a proposed $3.7 billion merger with Shutterstock. The combined entity is expected to strengthen its content library and expand investment capacity in AI-related technologies, including potential proprietary generative tools.
The licensing agreement also reflects a notable shift in Getty’s approach to AI companies. In 2023, the firm launched legal action against Stability AI, alleging large-scale scraping of millions of images without permission. The case was closely watched across the technology and publishing industries but ultimately failed in a UK court, where judges ruled that the AI model did not directly store or reproduce Getty’s content. The outcome was widely interpreted as a setback for copyright holders seeking to challenge generative AI systems through litigation.
Since then, licensing has increasingly emerged as the preferred route for content owners seeking compensation from AI developers. Getty itself signed a similar arrangement with Perplexity AI last year, while OpenAI has secured content partnerships with major publishers including News Corp, The Guardian and the Financial Times.
The broader trend highlights a shift across media and creative industries, where firms are moving from legal confrontation toward structured licensing deals. For Getty, the OpenAI partnership signals an effort to secure a role within the AI ecosystem rather than risk exclusion as generative technologies reshape how visual content is created and distributed.
