Shutterstock has launched a new “research license” model for AI companies to access training data, starting with AI technology company Lightricks. According to Michael Nuñez’s report in VentureBeat, the partnership allows Lightricks to train its LTXV video generation model using Shutterstock’s HD and 4K video library. The new model enables companies to begin with smaller research licenses before moving to commercial licenses.
Shutterstock’s global head of data licensing & AI, Daniel Mandell, emphasizes this approach makes ethical AI development more accessible for startups. The company implements a 20% revenue-sharing model with content creators, who can opt out of AI training use. This initiative comes amid increasing legal scrutiny of AI training data practices and aims to provide a legitimate alternative to unauthorized data scraping.