Shutterstock uses automated AI systems to flag and filter offensive, adult, or policy-violating content from its contributor-submitted library and from AI-generated outputs on its platform. These safeguards also include multi-layered controls to prevent generation of harmful content via its AI tools.

Shutterstock's TRUST framework (announced November 2023) codifies its multi-layered content controls that help prevent creation of content displaying adult themes, offensive themes, or violence, including within its AI generation tools. The platform has "safeguards in place to flag and remove offensive content" from the library and enforces strict diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) guidelines governing how people are depicted. dditionally, contributors cannot upload AI-generated content to the core library, and all AI-generated images downloaded by customers come with a disclaimer acknowledging they have not been reviewed by Shutterstock's content compliance team.