Shutterstock licenses its image, video, music, and metadata library to major AI companies — including OpenAI, Meta, NVIDIA, and Apple — to train their generative AI models. This has become a significant and fast-growing revenue line for the company.

Shutterstock's AI licensing business produced $104 million in revenue in 2023. Major customers for training data include Meta, Alphabet, Amazon, and Apple, with OpenAI having signed a six-year deal in 2023. Revenue from Shutterstock's Data, Distribution, and Services product offering — which includes AI data deals — increased 16% year-over-year in 2025, reaching $203.3 million, or 21% of total revenue. Contributors whose content is used in these deals are compensated through a dedicated Contributor Fund, and they have an opt-out mechanism.