Perplexity AI has entered into a global multi-year licensing agreement with Getty Images, granting the AI startup access to a wide range of photographs and other visual content. This partnership aims to enhance the user experience by integrating Getty Images’ creative and editorial imagery into Perplexity’s AI-powered search and discovery tools.
The integration will utilize Perplexity’s API technology, allowing for a richer visual experience for users. Both companies emphasized the importance of proper attribution, with the agreement outlining improvements in how images are displayed. This includes making credits and links to sources more visible.
According to Jessica Chan, head of content and publisher partnerships at Perplexity, the principles of attribution and accuracy are fundamental for responsible AI development. She stated, “Getty Images shares our belief that the future of AI-powered discovery requires respecting the creators behind the content.”
This agreement comes at a time when concerns about content usage and copyright are increasing in the tech industry. For instance, in June 2023, social media platform Reddit filed a lawsuit against AI company Anthropic, alleging the unauthorized scraping of user data. Additionally, a coalition of eight US newspapers launched a federal court lawsuit against Microsoft and OpenAI last year, claiming the companies used their articles to train generative AI models without permission.
In contrast, OpenAI has actively pursued partnerships with media organizations, including the Financial Times and multinational media company Axel Springer, to legally source content for training its large language models.
As Perplexity AI moves forward with its licensing agreement with Getty Images, the focus on ethical content usage continues to shape the landscape of AI and digital media. The collaboration not only enhances the visual capabilities of Perplexity’s tools but also sets a precedent for how AI can responsibly engage with creative content.
