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Shutterstock is reshaping how AI corporations entry coaching information by means of a novel “research license” method, launching first with AI artistic know-how firm Lightricks. The partnership, introduced at present, permits Lightricks to coach its open-source video technology mannequin LTXV utilizing Shutterstock’s in depth HD and 4K video library.
The brand new licensing mannequin addresses a important problem in AI improvement: the excessive price of accessing high quality coaching information. It allows corporations to start out with a smaller analysis license for testing and experimentation earlier than committing to dearer industrial licenses.
Making moral AI improvement extra accessible for startups
“Many companies and model trainers have taken the route of unauthorized data scraping [instead of] making the necessary investment to achieve the quality and level of trust needed to develop commercially viable models,” mentioned Daniel Mandell, Shutterstock’s international head of knowledge licensing & AI, in an unique interview with VentureBeat. “However, we don’t think that financial investment should be a barrier for those looking to enter this space with an ethical approach.”
This two-phase method might rework how startups method AI improvement. Craig Andrews, Lightricks’ international PR supervisor, describes it as “a turning point for smaller, more agile developers who want to explore innovative applications of generative AI without the heavy upfront costs of traditional licensing.”
Authorized safety and honest compensation within the age of AI
The timing is important, coming amid rising authorized scrutiny of AI coaching information practices. A number of main AI corporations face lawsuits over alleged unauthorized use of copyrighted materials for mannequin coaching. Shutterstock’s method affords a professional different whereas guaranteeing content material creators obtain compensation.
“We’re setting a standard for ethical AI development while ensuring that creators are fairly compensated for their work,” Andrews explains. “This approach not only fosters trust in the creative ecosystem but also establishes a sustainable framework for responsible AI innovation.”
Income sharing: A win-win for creators and AI corporations
Shutterstock has carried out a revenue-sharing mannequin the place contributors obtain 20% of the income from information licensing offers. Contributors may choose out of getting their content material used for AI coaching, although Mandell notes solely about 1% have chosen to take action.
Lightricks plans to make use of the licensed video information to boost LTXV, its open-source video technology mannequin launched final month. The mannequin has already gained important traction, with “thousands of downloads on GitHub and Hugging Face,” based on Andrews. One notable use case is real-time video technology for interactive ecommerce.
The partnership goals to deal with technical challenges in AI video technology, significantly movement consistency in longer movies. “One of the biggest technical hurdles in AI video generation is achieving consistent motion and structure over longer video segments without sacrificing quality,” Andrews says. “Shutterstock’s high-quality video library provides an extensive dataset that helps us address this challenge.”
For Shutterstock, this partnership represents a strategic shift in its enterprise mannequin. The corporate has already established partnerships with main AI corporations together with Nvidia, Meta, and OpenAI. Mandell emphasizes that the analysis license mannequin might democratize entry to high-quality coaching information for smaller organizations and analysis establishments.
Setting new {industry} requirements for moral AI improvement
The collaboration additionally displays a rising development towards transparency and moral issues in AI improvement. Lightricks made LTXV open-source to advertise collaboration and innovation, whereas Shutterstock’s licensing method ensures correct compensation for content material creators.
“The important message here is that companies, no matter the size or funding, no longer have an excuse to scrape unlicensed content for training purposes,” Mandell concludes. “There is a better way to enter this evolving market.”
This partnership might set a brand new normal for the way AI corporations entry coaching information, probably influencing {industry} practices as considerations concerning the sources of AI coaching information proceed to develop. The success of this mannequin might decide whether or not different content material suppliers observe Shutterstock’s lead in creating extra versatile, accessible licensing choices for AI improvement.
