Apple has reportedly joined forces with Shutterstock, a renowned repository of stock photos and videos, in a move aimed at enhancing its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. This collaboration underscores Apple’s commitment to advancing its in-house AI technology, signaling a strategic initiative to integrate native AI functionalities into its product lineup.

Apple just signed a $50M licensing deal with Shutterstock to acquire AI training data.

As per an ethical AI data partner, companies are willing to pay up to:

$1-$2 per image
$2-$4 per short video
$5-$7 per nude image
$100-$300 per hour of long video pic.twitter.com/osRWLGMs8q

— Chief AI Officer (@chiefaioffice) April 8, 2024

According to sources, Apple has gained access to Shutterstock’s extensive collection of images, videos, and music to bolster the training of its AI models. This partnership mirrors similar endeavors by tech giants like Meta, Google, and Amazon, who have also sought partnerships to acquire relevant data for their AI initiatives.

Reports suggest that initial agreements between tech companies and Shutterstock ranged from $25 million to $50 million. However, these partnerships have since expanded, reflecting the growing demand for high-quality data in AI development..

In addition to Shutterstock, Apple has reportedly collaborated with Defined.ai, a Seattle-based firm specializing in licensing data for AI model training. Insights from Defined.ai’s CEO, Daniela Braga, shed light on market rates for data, with companies typically paying around $1 to $2 per image, $2 to $4 per short-form video, and $100 to $300 per hour of longer films. Text data commands a market rate of approximately $0.001 per word.

These developments suggest intriguing possibilities for Apple’s AI strategy. While the iPhone 16 series may initially incorporate outsourced AI capabilities such as Gemini AI and Ernie Bot, there’s speculation that these could eventually be replaced by Apple’s proprietary AI solutions.

Moreover, Apple’s collaboration with Shutterstock underscores its focus on multimodal AI development, spanning text, images, music, and videos. Although specific applications remain uncertain, these AI models could potentially enhance computer vision capabilities and even facilitate image and video generation.

Apple Research has reportedly released two papers exploring its evolving AI models, hinting at the future direction of its products and services. As Apple continues to advance its AI technology, the implications for consumers and the tech industry are significant.