In a major move blending visual creativity with artificial intelligence, Getty Images announced Friday a multiyear image licensing agreement with Perplexity, the AI-driven search engine known for reshaping how users discover information online. The announcement lands amid heightened attention as Getty’s $3.7 billion merger with Shutterstock remains under close scrutiny by regulators.
Under the new deal, Perplexity will integrate Getty’s extensive image library directly into its AI platform, ensuring users access premium visuals with full legal attribution — a crucial step in an era fraught with copyright concerns around AI-generated content.
Partnership Emerges Amid Regulatory Storm
The timing is striking. Just days earlier, the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) revealed that Getty and Shutterstock’s planned merger would undergo a Phase 2 review unless the companies propose satisfactory remedies to competition concerns.
Despite early enthusiasm sending Getty’s stock up 19% Friday morning, the excitement cooled, and shares dipped 4% by late afternoon. Shutterstock’s stock, however, saw a modest 3% rise. Perplexity, which remains privately owned, did not disclose financial details of the agreement.
