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Apple reportedly licenses Shutterstock images, video and music for AI training

Reuters reported that Apple gained access to Shutterstock's images, videos and music for AI training. Shutterstock's CFO said initial deals with large tech firms ranged from $25 million to $50 million.

NEW YORK, April 5, 2024 Reuters reported on April 5, 2024 that Apple had reached an agreement to use hundreds of millions of images, videos and music files from Shutterstock's library to train generative AI models. The amount paid by Apple was not disclosed.12

Terms of the deal

According to the report, the deal came in the months after ChatGPT debuted in late 2022. Shutterstock's chief financial officer Jarrod Yahes said deals with big technology companies initially ranged from $25 million to $50 million each, and most were later expanded, but he declined to comment on individual contracts.1 The information came from a person familiar with the arrangements, so it is labeled reported here.

The public record on this agreement is limited to the announcement and the press coverage cited below. The price is listed here as: Undisclosed; Shutterstock CFO said initial Big Tech deals ranged $25M to $50M each. The status shown, Reported, reflects the most recent reporting available on October 22, 2026, and any later amendments are not captured.

Background

The Apple arrangement had not been public before the report. Shutterstock had earlier signed a six-year agreement with OpenAI. Apple also reportedly worked with the data licensor Defined.ai, whose chief executive cited market rates of about $1 to $2 per image and $2 to $4 per short video.2

What it means for data sellers

Shutterstock's example shows that multiple buyers can license the same library. Data owners can use published unit-price ranges as reference points but should price on exclusivity, scope, refresh rights and term.

A seller comparing this deal with its own situation should ask what the buyer actually receives: raw data, a license to train, a license to display, or a right to build a product. Each is priced differently, and the answer should be written into the agreement rather than inferred from a press release.

How the deal came together

  1. Big Tech demand. Large technology firms sought licensed multimodal training data after late 2022.
  2. Apple agreement. Apple reportedly struck a deal with Shutterstock.
  3. Report. Reuters reported it on April 5, 2024.
  4. Price context. Shutterstock's CFO gave a range for initial deals without naming Apple's amount.

Takeaways for companies with data

  • Public price ranges, even if not deal specific, help anchor negotiations.
  • Many initial deals were later expanded, so first contracts can understate lifetime value.
  • Reported deals rely on unnamed sources and should be treated cautiously.

Sources

Every numbered reference above points to an entry here. Figures come from these pages as of the date shown at the top of the article. Where a source reports a number it got from unnamed people, the text says so.

  1. Apple in deal with Shutterstock to use hundreds of millions of images, videos and music files for GenAI training (MacDailyNews, April 2024)
  2. Apple reportedly inks deal with Shutterstock for AI model training (EastMojo, April 2024)

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About the AI Data Deal Tracker

SellYourAIData tracks publicly reported sales and licenses of data to AI companies, with the price, terms and sources for each. Entries are checked against public reporting and updated as deals change. SellYourAIData was not involved in this deal. To ask what your company's data could sell for, get a free valuation. To report a deal, contact us.