Adobe Removes Ansel Adams-Inspired AI Images Following Estate's Complaint

Adobe has taken down AI-generated images inspired by the celebrated photographer Ansel Adams from its stock platform after the Ansel Adams estate expressed frustration over the unauthorized use of his name to sell digital products.

The estate discovered six AI-generated black-and-white images that mimicked Adams' distinctive style, with one even labeled as 'Nature's Harmony: Ansel Adams-Style Photography AI Generated.' These images were available for licensing on Adobe Stock, with no revenue going to Adams' estate.

Why this matters: The incident highlights the ongoing tension between AI-generated content and the rights of original artists and their estate, inspired, ai, raising questions about the responsibility of tech companies to protect intellectual property. If not addressed, this could lead to a proliferation of unauthorized AI-generated content, undermining the value of original work and potentially harming the livelihoods of artists.

The estate of Ansel Adams had been in discussions with Adobe since August 2023 regarding this issue. Their frustration culminated in a public story: 'Adobe, you are officially on our last nerve with this behavior.' The estate emphasized that while they do not object to artists taking inspiration from Adams' work, they strongly reject any unauthorized use of his name to sell products.

Adobe responded by removing the offending content, citing its generative AI policy, which requires users to be respectful of third-party rights and avoid generating content that could violate someone else's rights. Adobe's Director of Communications and Public Relations, Bassil Elkadi, stated that 'appropriate steps were taken given the user violated Stock terms.'

Despite the removal, concerns remain about Adobe's proactive measures to prevent similar issues in the future. The Ansel Adams estate hopes that Adobe's action will be permanent and that the company will adopt a more proactive approach to image removal. They also called on Adobe to stop putting the onus on individual artists and estates to continuously police their intellectual property on the platform.

Adobe has been heavily promoting its generative AI tools and continues to push for AI development. The company has already released AI tools such as Firefly, its AI Assistant for Acrobat, and AI tools for Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and Illustrator. However, the incident with the Ansel Adams estate highlights the ongoing tension between AI-generated content and the rights of original artists and their estates.

PCMag found that generative AI images in the style of other photographers, such as Roger Deakins and Helmut Newton, are still available on Adobe's site. This raises questions about how effectively Adobe is enforcing its policies and whether more robust measures are needed to protect the rights of artists.

The Ansel Adams estate thanked Adobe for removing the images and expressed hope that 'it will stick this time.' The ongoing debate over AI-generated content highlights the need for clear guidelines and enforcement to balance innovation with respect for artistic rights.

Key Takeaways

• Adobe removed AI-generated images inspired by Ansel Adams from its stock platform.
• The images, available for licensing, used Adams' name without permission or revenue.
• The incident highlights tension between AI-generated content and original artists' rights.
• Adobe's generative AI policy requires users to respect third-party rights.
• Concerns remain about Adobe's proactive measures to prevent similar issues in the future.