OpenAI has signed a multi-year partnership with Getty Images and will use Getty’s licensed images in ChatGPT and its search service.

On June 22 local time, IT outlet Engadget reported that the deal will link Getty Images’ content library to OpenAI services.

The key is strengthening visuals in ChatGPT answers and search results. OpenAI will be able to include verified image assets in text-centric responses. Getty will broaden channels to distribute its images through AI-based search and discovery services.

Getty CEO Craig Peters said high-quality licensed visual content makes AI-based search and discovery more useful and more reliable. He said the partnership reflects a shared view and that the two companies plan to provide ChatGPT users with a richer visual experience.

The deal also coincides with a shift in Getty’s previous stance. Getty had taken a hard line on cooperation with AI companies for some time. In September 2022 it banned AI-generated artworks entirely from its library, and a few months later it filed a lawsuit against Stability AI, alleging copyright infringement. The claim was dismissed at the end of last year.

Getty later changed its AI strategy. Within a year of the ban on AI-generated images, it unveiled its own generative AI tool. The tool used only Getty Images’ own library as training data and was developed based on Nvidia’s Edify model. All generated images were provided with a royalty-free licence.

Getty then began partnering with external AI companies. In October 2025 it signed an agreement with Perplexity AI to allow its AI search and browsing tool to access the Getty library. At the time, Perplexity said it would improve how images are displayed and add image source attribution and links to original pages so users can better understand how to use licensed images legally. Perplexity has also faced lawsuits linked to allegations of illegal use of copyrighted material.

A remaining issue in the OpenAI deal is the scope of image use. Getty did not disclose specific details on whether its images will be used for AI training. In its previous deal with Perplexity, it did not allow use for training purposes.

As a result, the partnership is expected to serve as a case for gauging the terms under which licensed content will be displayed and used in AI search services, beyond a simple image supply deal. OpenAI can raise the credibility of its responses and the completeness of its visuals, while Getty has been put to the test of expanding touchpoints with AI platforms while maintaining its copyright management framework. Still, with key terms such as training use and display methods undisclosed, the actual scope of application could change depending on further disclosures.

Getty Images has partnered with @OpenAI to bring licensed content into ChatGPT to support search and discovery. This work helps improve the accuracy, transparency and reliability of visual results in AI-powered experiences. Learn more here ⬇️ https://t.co/t6yN3zVle0