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Shutterstock is reshaping how AI firms entry coaching knowledge by a novel “research license” method, launching first with AI artistic know-how firm Lightricks. The partnership, introduced right now, permits Lightricks to coach its open-source video technology mannequin LTXV utilizing Shutterstock’s intensive HD and 4K video library.
The brand new licensing mannequin addresses a important problem in AI growth: the excessive price of accessing high quality coaching knowledge. It permits firms to start out with a smaller analysis license for testing and experimentation earlier than committing to dearer industrial licenses.
Making moral AI growth 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 may remodel how startups method AI growth. 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 truthful compensation within the age of AI
The timing is critical, coming amid growing authorized scrutiny of AI coaching knowledge practices. A number of main AI firms face lawsuits over alleged unauthorized use of copyrighted materials for mannequin coaching. Shutterstock’s method affords a respectable various whereas making certain 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 firms
Shutterstock has applied a revenue-sharing mannequin the place contributors obtain 20% of the income from knowledge licensing offers. Contributors also can 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 knowledge to reinforce LTXV, its open-source video technology mannequin launched final month. The mannequin has already gained vital traction, with “thousands of downloads on GitHub and Hugging Face,” in accordance with 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, notably 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 firms together with Nvidia, Meta, and OpenAI. Mandell emphasizes that the analysis license mannequin may democratize entry to high-quality coaching knowledge for smaller organizations and analysis establishments.
Setting new {industry} requirements for moral AI growth
The collaboration additionally displays a rising pattern towards transparency and moral concerns in AI growth. 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 may set a brand new customary for the way AI firms entry coaching knowledge, doubtlessly influencing {industry} practices as issues concerning the sources of AI coaching knowledge proceed to develop. The success of this mannequin may decide whether or not different content material suppliers comply with Shutterstock’s lead in creating extra versatile, accessible licensing choices for AI growth.
