Shutterstock to help create mechanism to address misinformation and offer precise detail on the authenticity and provenance of content at scale

NEW YORK, July 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Shutterstock, Inc. (NYSE: SSTK), a leading global creative platform offering high-quality content and full-service creative workflow solutions for transformative brands, digital media and marketing companies, today announced its participation in the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI). Through its participation, Shutterstock will support the CAI's goal of addressing the prevalence of misleading information online through the implementation of technical standards for certifying the source and history of media content by integrating Content Credentials.

Shutterstock will support the CAI’s goal of addressing the prevalence of misleading information online through the implementation of technical standards for certifying the source and history of media content by integrating Content Credentials.

Shutterstock intends to integrate the underlying Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) standard into its AI capabilities and various creativity tools, including its DALL·E-powered AI Image Generator and suite of AI-powered applications to further protect its users with verifiable and tamper-evident information across all forms of content. With Content Credentials, this will include ensuring each asset is certified with secure metadata about its creation, authorship and edit history. The CAI's free open-source standards aim to ensure this information is maintained in a metadata trail that spans multiple tools, from asset creation to all subsequent modifications.

"Joining the CAI and adopting the underlying C2PA standard is a natural step in our ongoing effort to protect our artist community and our users by supporting the development of systems and infrastructure that create greater transparency and help our users to more easily identify what is an artist's creation versus AI-generated or modified art," said Dr. Alessandra Sala, Senior Director of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science at Shutterstock. "We are excited to work alongside an industry-shaping roster of organizations with the CAI to take on this incredible opportunity and responsibility as we make decisive steps that safeguard the consumption and enhance the verifiability of this new class of content."

Since its launch, the Adobe-led CAI has worked with industry leaders, media and tech organizations, policymakers, academics and others to increase trust and transparency in digital content. With the rise in AI-generated content, the CAI understands there are unique opportunities and challenges, which spurred the development of its Content Credentials solution that can now be applied to a range of formats, including images, video and audio, to help consumers make informed decisions about the content they see online. It is actively working across its membership community to ensure that technical innovations are built on ethical foundations.

"We are pleased to welcome Shutterstock to the CAI as the company brings deep experience in both creative services and ethical approaches to the use of AI in various art forms," said Santiago Lyon, Head of Advocacy and Education for the Content Authenticity Initiative. "Shutterstock joins a growing standards body that looks forward to their support and contributions as we endeavor to establish greater trust across the evolving digital media ecosystem."

Joining CAI and adopting the underlying C2PA standard is the latest in several strategic steps Shutterstock has taken as one of the leading innovators bringing ethical and responsible AI advancements to the creative industry. Earlier this month, Shutterstock announced its offering to provide Enterprise customers with full indemnification for the license and use of generative AI images on its platform. Shutterstock also recently announced its partnership with the United Nations' ITU AI for Good to support the development of ethical AI models, tools, products and solutions. Dr. Sala and Shutterstock's Chief Technology Officer, Sejal Amin delivered a keynote presentation at the AI for Good Summit in Geneva earlier this month that further addressed the company's vision for content authenticity, provenance and transparency.

In addition, Shutterstock launched its first-of-a-kind Contributor Fund in October 2022 which, to date, has compensated hundreds of thousands of artists, with anticipated payments to millions more, for the role their content IP has played in training Shutterstock's generative technology and has provided artists with ongoing royalties tied to licensing activity for newly generated assets. Prior to the Contributor Fund, Shutterstock also launched The Create Fund that provides historically excluded artists with financial and professional support to help close access gaps, fill content gaps, and further diversity and inclusion within its content library, contributor network and across generative AI training models.

As a trusted partner, Shutterstock also collaborates with NVIDIA, Meta, OpenAI, LG and other leaders in the tech industry to develop foundational generative AI tools and standards for creators across 3D, images and text.

About Shutterstock
Shutterstock, Inc. (NYSE: SSTK) is a premier partner for transformative brands, digital media and marketing companies, empowering the world to create with confidence. Fueled by millions of creators around the world, a growing data engine and a fearless approach to product innovation, Shutterstock is the leading global platform for licensing from the most extensive and diverse collection of high-quality 3D models, videos, music, photographs, vectors and illustrations. From the world's largest content marketplace, to breaking news and A-list entertainment editorial access, to all-in-one content editing platform and studio production service—all using the latest in innovative technology—Shutterstock offers the most comprehensive selection of resources to bring storytelling to life.

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