Adobe Stock’s content library has reached a pivotal tipping point—nearly half of all images on the platform are now AI-generated. As of April 8, 2025, a staggering 47.85% of the entire image portfolio was produced by generative AI tools. Will most of Adobe Stock be AI-generated soon? This article is based on detailed research and reporting by Robert Kneschke, originally published on his blog Alltag eines Fotoproduzenten, and supplemented by coverage from PetaPixel. It reveals how nearly half of Adobe Stock’s image library is now composed of AI-generated visuals, raising pressing questions for contributors, customers, and the industry at large. This exponential growth has placed Adobe Stock at the center of an industry-wide reckoning. For context: it took nearly 20 years for photographers to collectively upload roughly 313 million “real” images. In just under three years, AI creators have matched that number, dramatically shifting the visual landscape of one of the world’s largest stock agencies. How we got here: Midjourney and the AI surge The rise of AI imagery on Adobe Stock can be traced back to mid-2022, shortly after the release of Midjourney v3. Unlike Shutterstock, which initially banned AI uploads only to later launch its own image generator, Adobe adopted a more open strategy. In December 2022, Adobe Stock began accepting AI-generated content, provided contributors followed strict labeling and policy guidelines. That openness had consequences. By May 2023, AI images represented just 2.5% of the platform. Fast forward to April 2025, and that number has soared past 47%,...
Published By: CineD - Today