As you’ve likely seen already, artificial intelligence (AI) technology is one of the most exciting, controversial, and headline-grabbing themes of the present day. With the rise of AI-enabled art, writing, video, and even music, people are waking up to the possibilities of this new technology. Vecteezy is no different, and we’d like to lay out exactly where we stand in the current AI climate.
To put it simply, Vecteezy is open to incorporating AI generated images into our collection, provided they are created within our guidelines.
The positives of generative AI technology are undeniable. Using this technology, creators can produce seriously high-quality images without needing to rent a studio or equipment, or even hire models. As the demand for cutting-edge, high-quality content grows, it’s clear that AI should be included as part of every online creator’s toolkit.
There are guidelines you will need to follow in order to have your generative AI art approved for use on Vecteezy. As AI evolves, these guidelines also could change. We will update you with more information when it’s appropriate.
What we are looking for
Whether you’re creating a vector from scratch or using a software to create AI photos, the same rules generally apply.
First and foremost, you should always create stock images that are visually appealing, realistic looking, and of very high quality. This means that the images should have clear and crisp resolution, accurate color representation, and be both perfectly rendered and technically flawless (without distortion, pixelation or warping). You should also create images that include copy space so that the image can be incorporated into a variety of different projects and/or ads. The quality of the image is always crucial, and even more so when you’re making it with AI.
The following image was created with Midjourney. Because it is highly realistic, pleasing to look at, and considerate of leaving copy space for designers, it could be used for a variety of projects and ads.
You can also use AI to generate abstract images. Textured backgrounds, like the image below, use an ideal amount of contrast between shadows and light. These kinds of backgrounds are highly sought after on Vecteezy, so they’re great images to generate.
Photorealism is highly achievable in AI. Below, you will see an AI-generated pizza that looks both realistic and, more importantly, absolutely delicious. This image has the right amount of shadows and light making it look incredibly real — and therefore workable for many projects.
What we don’t want
You’ve seen the memes and the jokes online, and AI generating tools are certainly fun for a laugh when you’re just sending them to friends. But these kinds of images will not be approved due to our quality standards and guidelines. Realistic or design-friendly images should always take precedence over silly, random, ridiculous scenarios or poorly rendered files.
The below image of a cat surfing is certainly funny at first glance. But even if someone did want a depiction of a feline hanging ten, they wouldn’t use this image because of its low quality. The sunglasses are not sitting on the cat’s head properly, and the cat’s back leg has somehow disappeared.
It’s also important to put effort into the lighting and quality of your AI-generated works. Often, AI images look like the covers of romance novels or have the aesthetic of fantasy movies. We are not looking for fairytale-style images as those belong to a very specific niche and we are looking for images that fit into a variety of different projects. We want realistic looking images that reflect real life and can be used for a variety of different kinds of projects. The below cat images are cute, sure, but they have no copy space and look somewhat haunting.
As you can see, the details are everything. Please do not upload images that were not thoroughly inspected with human eyes. AI generated content continuously improves itself, but it can still make mistakes. Before uploading, please make sure there are no extra or inhuman features (like the extra leg and fingers you can see below). When it comes to humans in particular, AI has a long way to go.
Other things to consider
Ultimately, AI is saving you a lot of time and effort, but it doesn’t mean you can just start generating images and uploading them without any effort. Think of it like a new tool for your own artistry, and use the time you saved on set-up to thoroughly vet your images and only upload the highest quality.
As our guidelines state, you must include a model release when using a real photo for an AI prompt, and you cannot use a famous person’s name or likeness. Please brush up on our guidelines in general, as there are strict protocols to follow as we enter this new era.
In your titles and keywords, you must include the phrase “AI generated” for all AI generated content.
As we take this step into the future, we are excited to see your creations!