Getty Images, the stock-photo and editorial imagery company, has signed a licensing deal with OpenAI that will bring its visual content to ChatGPT, according to citybiz and Qazinform. The agreement lets OpenAI tap Getty's library of licensed images and pull them into the popular chatbot.
Investors reacted sharply. According to The Hindu Business Line, Getty Images shares surged 145% after the deal was announced. Forbes likewise reported that Getty stock spiked on the news, framing it in its Forbes Daily roundup. The Hindu Business Line noted that Getty's shares had previously been weighed down by an artificial-intelligence "scare trade" that has rattled corners of the market, from software and IT-services firms to so-called "old economy" stocks.
The deal arrives against a tense backdrop between the photo industry and AI companies. Getty has been an outspoken critic of how generative-AI systems are trained on imagery. According to Yahoo Finance, the new arrangement raises fresh questions about training — specifically how, and on what terms, AI models use copyrighted visual material.
The Financial Times, in a piece headlined "Getty Images shows the inimitable value of an OpenAI photobomb," pointed to the unusual value Getty unlocked simply by attaching itself to OpenAI's brand.
The sources here do not disclose financial terms, the deal's duration, or the volume of images involved.
Why it matters: The partnership signals a shift from courtroom conflict toward paid licensing as AI firms seek legitimate, rights-cleared content — and the market's dramatic reaction shows how much a single OpenAI deal can move a company's fortunes.