A database of 100,000 AI generated stock photos will change your perception of stock photography
If you generate photographic content for stock photography sites in the future you'll be in competition with AI.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2019) 'A database of 100,000 AI generated stock photos will change your perception of stock photography', 311 Institute, 27 September. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/a-database-of-100000-ai-generated-stock-photos-will-change-your-perception-of-stock-photography/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
You have to admit it, some of the uses of Artificial Intelligence (AI) are simply fascinating. One of the more exciting aspects of AI is seeing all the potential ways the technology can be applied to our daily lives, even if it at times it seems a little creepy. For example, asides from underpinning all your Google searches AI’s are also creating robo-art and music, with one piece of art selling recently for over $430,000, and an AI musician being signed to the massive time Warner label, and elsewhere AI's are predicting when people are going to die, all kinds of fun stuff.
Recently I also talked about AI’s from Nvidia that were creating high quality images of fake people, and if you’ve ever worked for a creative agency or have worked on any creative project in general, you’ll no doubt have dealt with the often frustrating world of stock images. I know I have.
The new face of stock photography, pun intended.
Stock images themselves are very convenient. However, there is always a small fear of using a stock image as a brand, for example, because you definitely don’t want to come across another company using the same image as you, it not only looks bad, but it also looks lazy and depending on what the other company’s doing with that image things could just get plain confusing.
Now AI seems to have a solution to this problem by being able to generate unique, one off high quality stock images of models that don’t exist. That’s right, AI can now generate imaginary faces and people for your next project that no one else will be able to nab. Dubbed Generated Photos, the collection of faces was created by Konstantin Zhabinskiy and his team, just think Shutterstock or iPhoto except a site where all the images are created by an AI and not by a human, photoshopper, or photographer.
As stated on the webpage by the Generated Photos team, “These people aren't real! We are building the next generation of media through the power of AI. Copyrights, distribution rights, and infringement claims will soon be things of the past.”
The library of faces comprises of 100,000 different “people” all with various expressions, looks, skin colors, hairstyles, and so on. And the best bit? You can try it and use it now…. with the added benefit you’ll never have to worry about copyright issues or being copied ever again.
What this means for your organisation
Uniqueness becomes the selling point.
Brands fear using the same stock image as a rival. It looks bad, looks lazy and can confuse customers. Generated faces of people who do not exist offer one-off images that no one else can take.
Copyright claims need checking.
The Generated Photos team says copyright, distribution rights and infringement claims will soon be things of the past. That is their claim, not settled fact. Legal and brand teams should test it before relying on it.
Image makers face new competition.
Anyone who supplies photographic content to stock sites now competes with a machine. The library holds 100,000 people with varied expressions, looks, skin colours and hairstyles. Sharper image tools are expected to be in wide use by 2029, so plan for this now.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Which of our current stock images could be replaced with generated ones?
- Who checks the rights and risks before we use generated faces?
- How will we pay and brief creators if stock work dries up?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
If you generate photographic content for stock photography sites in the future you'll be in competition with AI.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
Read full bio
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- it seems a little creepy interestingengineering.com
- generated.photos generated.photos
- Generated Photos generated.photos
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 27 September 2019. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2019). A database of 100,000 AI generated stock photos will change your perception of stock photography. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/a-database-of-100000-ai-generated-stock-photos-will-change-your-perception-of-stock-photography/
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