Adobe came under fire from the Ansel Adams estate for hosting AI-generated images in the style of the renowned photographer on its stock photo service last Friday, May 31.
The estate expressed its frustration publicly, addressing the Photoshop maker directly on the social media platform Threads.
Adobe's AI-Generated Images Trigger Heated Discussion
(Photo : EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images)
A portrait of US photographer Ansel Adams from the Polaroid Collection is on display at Sotheby's during a preview of The Polaroid Collection, in New York, June 16, 2010. The Polaroid Collection, which the founder of Polaroid Edwin Land began, will go on auction on June 21-22, 2010.
The controversy erupted when the estate highlighted a specific AI-generated image titled "Nature's Symphony: Ansel Adams-Style Landscape Photography."
Created by a user named frefre as Artnet reported, the black-and-white mountainscape image was available for licensing on Adobe Stock. The estate's post included a screenshot of this listing, criticizing Adobe for allowing such content on its platform.
Related Article: This New Adobe Premiere Pro AI Tool Can Automatically Create Video Content, But Will it Support Third-Party Models?
Adobe's Policies on AI-Generated Content
Adobe Stock, which offers millions of stock visual assets, has been accepting AI-generated submissions since late last year.
According to Adobe's guidelines, contributors are prohibited from using text prompts and keywords that include "names of people" or "artists' names whose work is still in copyright."
Adobe also advises creators to avoid phrases like "in the style of" when generating AI content.
Not an Isolated Case
Despite these guidelines, the Ansel Adams estate pointed out that references to Adams's work have continued to appear in AI-generated listings. The estate has been attempting to address this issue with Adobe since August 2023.
In their latest post, they reiterated that this was not an isolated incident but part of a recurring problem.
Adobe Removes AI-Generated Photo
Following the estate's post, Adobe removed the offending image from its platform. However, this action came after significant backlash from Threads users, who criticized Adobe for allowing AI-generated images to be licensed.
Many users questioned the copyrightability of AI art and criticized Adobe for potentially undermining traditional creators, according to The Verge.
One user commented that what Adobe did was absolutely disgusting. The platform should clarify if they side with or oppose the artists.
In response, Adobe stated that the image was removed because the user violated Stock terms. Bassil Elkadi, Adobe's director of communications and public relations, confirmed that appropriate steps were taken in this case.
What Ansel Adams Estate Expects From Adobe?
In a follow-up post, the Ansel Adams estate acknowledged the support they received and appreciated Adobe's prompt removal of the listing.
The estate said that while they do not oppose individuals drawing inspiration from Adams's photography, they strongly object to the unauthorized use of his name to sell products, including AI-generated content.
"We strenuously object to the unauthorized use of his name to sell products of any kind, including digital products [and] AI-generated output-regardless of whether his name has been used on the input side, or whether a given model has been trained on his work. Those are separate issues," the estate said.
Read Also: Adobe Unveils AI Tool That Can Summarize PDFs for $4.99/ Month
