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.

Building a Future Where AI Respects Creators

The partnership’s announcement followed the unveiling of new Getty and iStock apps, aimed at creative professionals across design, marketing, and enterprise sectors. The new tools will integrate seamlessly with Getty’s global content offerings, reflecting the company’s strategic pivot toward AI-compatible innovation.

While the financial specifics of the Perplexity deal remain undisclosed, Getty emphasized its role in promoting ethical AI usage. The partnership aims to “educate users on how to use licensed imagery legally,” a nod to the ongoing debate over intellectual property rights in the age of generative AI.

Voices from Both Sides

Nick Unsworth, Getty’s vice president of strategic development, said that collaborations like this one help AI platforms “increase the quality and accuracy of information delivered to consumers,” while underscoring the need for reliable attribution.

Meanwhile, Jessica Chan, Perplexity’s head of content and publisher partnerships, called the agreement a reflection of both companies’ shared vision — that “the future of AI-powered discovery requires respecting the creators behind the content.”

What Lies Ahead

As the Getty merges with Perplexity deal moves forward, the pending Shutterstock merger remains in limbo, with the U.K. regulator setting an October 27 deadline for both firms to address antitrust concerns.

Advised by heavyweight law firms — Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP for Getty and White & Case LLP for Shutterstock — the companies maintain that the merger would expand content diversity and accelerate innovation in 3D and generative AI technologies.

Whether Getty’s new alliance with Perplexity will bolster or complicate its merger prospects remains to be seen. For now, the collaboration underscores a new chapter in the evolving relationship between AI innovation and creative ownership — one that could redefine the visual media landscape.